Tij Iginla : In-Depth Scouting Report
Tij Iginla needs no introduction, with an impressive offensive harvest and son of the iconic Calgary Flames legend, the color bearer of the Kelowna Rockets fully deserves the enthusiasm given to him as a potential top 10 pick in the 2024 NHL draft.
Although one might be led to believe that the quality of his shot and his ability to score goals is what most distinguishes him as a prospect, I find that there are nuances in his game that prevail more to make him a unique player.
This may seem a little inconsequential, but what I find most defining about Iginla is how strong he is on the puck. Despite an average size (6’0, 185lbs) he is very difficult to dislodge from the puck. He applies a lot of downward force on his stick and, in this way, is never exposed to an opponent taking the puck from him by lifting his stick. Having seen him maintain the disc against several opponents simultaneously, I suspect that he has very good grip strength and I am very curious to know how he will do in this test at the Combine.
His tenacity in such scenarios is impressive, but for me this aspect is not just about ‘will‘, but also about skill. We often observe in players of a similar size to Iginla who stand out for this skill, an intelligence as to where they place the puck before a confrontation against one or more opponents, keeping the puck closer to their skates to avoid facilitating access to their rivals. We also observe impressive athleticism in Tij as he is very adept at recovering pucks with his skates before redirecting them towards his stick. As soon as he seems out of a confrontation, he finds a way to emerge victorious, with the puck.
Another rather innovative way where Iginla’s strength on the puck comes through is during faceoffs in offensive territory. Jarome’s son played at center at different times during the season and he advocated this play where rather than trying to win the faceoff on his backhand to send it at the point, he pushed the puck forward, getting rid of his opponent and making a pass in the slot.
To enhance this facet, Iginla has very strong hips. During one-on-one battles, he will regularly get under his opponent and lean heavily on his hips to gain his position.
This physical particularity allows him to make sudden and powerful pivots, allowing him to create separation to get rid of a coverer.
It is by using these pivots that Iginla will take advantage of one of the constants in his game, which is to gain the inside of the offensive zone. He is a player who does not find comfort in remaining on the outside, he will try by all means to bring the puck into dangerous areas.
This desire to get the puck to the center of the offensive zone is what most distinguishes his abilities as a playmaker. He is not a spectacular passer, but many of his deliveries demonstrate a strong understanding of the game as well as maturity. He completes a lot of ‘difficult’ passes where he slides the puck under opposing sticks. A pass that stood out to me this season was made with his backhand, diagonally during transition when there were several obstacles between him and his target. He won’t always make the pass that will make your eyes widen and lead directly to a scoring chance, but he makes a lot of ‘Pro’ passes as they allow his team to keep possession of the puck.
This is not to say that Iginla’s passing game is devoid of creativity, far from it. He can spot teammates using cross passes and has particular ease in reaching teammates at the goalmouth. A selection of plays that makes him a resourceful passer is how he lures opponents in a given direction with his skating before passing the other direction to a teammate that had just freed himself.
Iginla is probably recognized primarily for his ability to put the puck in the back of the net. I can only agree with this statement, however, there is a reason why I did not start my analysis with this trait. As much as I appreciate his shot, I think some people got a little too excited about it. Which is not uncommon when it comes to prospects. We are often led to believe that a very good goal-scorer at the junior level will be able to beat NHL goalies clean, from distance, without a screen in front of them.
But hey, there is still a reason why I see Iginla racking up 30-goal seasons in the NHL.
His wrist shot is his favorite weapon. What makes him dangerous is that he does not need any windup to release his shot, and the velocity of the latter is not affected. His release is very quick and he is just as good at shooting while he is in motion.
In my viewing, three unique things stood out, characterizing what sets Iginla apart as a shooter.
First of all, the Kelowna Rockets forward shows patience when he is in the slot. Several players would be inclined to rush their shot, being positioned in a dangerous location. Iginla will instead thrive in front of a defender who kneels to improve his positioning even further.
Secondly, he is particularly sneaky in deceiving goalkeepers who cheat on their near side, anticipating the pass. Even goalkeepers who slow down their movement knowing that Iginla is not on his strong side to take one timer are beaten by a very quick release.
And finally, Jarome’s son draws some traits from his father as he demonstrates a pronounced intelligence as a goal-scorer. There is a notable difference between a player who has a good shot and a good scorer. Nothing can replace an innate instinct to get open, find free areas, have the right timing, read the intention of his teammates and so on. Iginla makes some very interesting plays as he points to his teammates with his stick, where he is heading in order to get fed.
Iginla also has a very good pair of hands. He doesn’t necessarily have the mentality to charge towards an opponent with the intention of dangling them, but it’s very surprising how well he can pull a rabbit out of his hat as the pressure closes in on him. He is particularly a fan of the backhand Toe-Drag, which is never unpleasant to watch.
He also brings a lot of substance to his game without the puck while his pressure on opposing defenders is incessant. This offers added value especially on the PK when defenders who recover the puck behind their own net are forced to move quickly and cannot wait for their teammates to be well positioned to restart the play again. This allows his team to run down the clock during the penalty-kill. Personally, Iginla reminds me a lot of Brandon Hagel of the Tampa Bay Lightning. This is perhaps not the most attractive comparison for a top 10 pick, but I would like to remind you that Hagel has several seasons of 25 to 30 goals and 65 + pts and that he is often one of the good producers of the 5 vs 5 in the league. And after all, the comparisons are mainly used for stylistic purposes, we are often bombarded with comparisons made between prospects and players predestined to land in the Hall of Fame. That will only be a plus if Iginla reaches even greater heights than Hagel. But for me, the strength he shows on the puck despite his average size, the play which is constantly oriented towards the inside, the uninterrupted work without the puck as well as his mature, pro playmaking, being able to complete difficult passes, constantly reminds me of the Lightning’s player.
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