NHL Trade Rumors: Should Jarome Iginla Be Put Back on the Block?

For his entire career, Jarome Iginla has been the Calgary Flames. He's already the Flames' franchise leader in games played, goals and points and is second in assists to Big Al MacInnis. He is as much a part of Calgary as the Stampede. 

So it was almost a shock across the hockey world and the mainstream media in Canada when the rumors circulated for a large chunk of this season about Iginla being traded. The rumors continued to persist until Jay Feaster took over as GM and announced to the hockey world that Iginla wasn't going anywhere and that the rebuild would be built around him.

Many media members, namely ESPN's Pierre LeBrun, have publicly slammed the move. But it looks like at least for now, Iginla isn't going anywhere. But should he be shipped off?

Reason Why No. 5: Chance for the Cup

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TAMPA, FL - JUNE 7: Jarome Iginla #12 of the Calgary Flames celebrates a goal in the third period by teammate Craig Conroy #22 against the Tampa Bay Lightning in game seven of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals on June 7, 2004 at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tamp

Iginla is one of the better players of our era and one of the more recognizable. Yet in his career in Calgary, he's only advanced past the Conference Quarterfinals once, and that was in 2004 when the Flames made a Cinderella run to the Stanley Cup Final. Iginla still has a good amount left in the tank and it would be fair to him to give him another chance to win a Cup.

Reason Why Not No. 5: Continuity

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OTTAWA, ON - JANUARY 14: Jarome Iginla #12 of the Calgary Flames throws a big hit on Matt Carkner #39 of the Ottawa Senators along the far boards in a game at Scotiabank Place on January 14, 2011 in Ottawa, Canada. (Photo by Phillip MacCallum/Getty Imag

Iginla's been the face of the franchise and worn the C for years. He's the unquestioned leader of the Flames. So if he is traded, who takes his place? Do either Alex Tanguay or Olli Jokinen seem like captain material? Who becomes the emotional leader and who becomes the physical force on the Flames? Heck, who scores?

Reason Why No. 4: Finally Moving On

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DALLAS, TX - DECEMBER 23: Right wing Jarome Iginla #12 of the Calgary Flames bleeds after a fight against Jamie Benn #14 of the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center on December 23, 2010 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Iginla has been a loyal player during his time in Calgary. But he's also leaving the prime of his career and he's not going to be the cornerstone of a rebuilding team. For the work that needs to be done, a lot has to change and Iginla doesn't have that kind of time left in his career to go through another rebuild.

Reason Why Not No. 4: Still in the Hunt

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MONTREAL, CANADA - JANUARY 17: Roman Hamrlik #44 of the Montreal Canadiens strips the puck from Jarome Iginla #12 of the Calgary Flames during the NHL game at the Bell Centre on January 17, 2011 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Canadiens defeated the Fl

As bad as the Flames have looked at times this year, they are still technically in the hunt for the playoffs in the bunched up Western Conference. Of course, sneaking into the playoffs to set up a matchup with a Vancouver or Detroit is not overly appetizing, but it might buy the Flames and this current group some time.

Reason Why No. 3: Starting the Rebuild Sooner Rather Than Later

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DALLAS, TX - DECEMBER 23: Right wing Jarome Iginla #12 of the Calgary Flames fights with Jamie Benn #14 of the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center on December 23, 2010 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

At this point, the only way to really fix the Flames with the mess in place now is to really start from scratch. As much as Jay Feaster might believe it, the Flames aren't rebuilding around Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff, both of whom are over 30 and starting to decline. Trading Iginla is really the only way to do a rebuild and ensure the top prospects will be there.

Reason Why Not No. 3: Problem Goes Deeper Than Iginla

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COLUMBUS, OH - DECEMBER 21: Jarome Iginla #12 of the Calgary Flames skates with the puck during a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on December 21, 2010 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by John Grieshop/Getty Images)

Jarome Iginla has been a model citizen during his time in Calgary, but the truth is the problem goes much deeper than him. The flurry of bad contracts (Jay Bouwmeester) and bad personnel moves (paging Mr. Jokinen) along with the lack of a farm system has set this team back for years, and trading Iginla now won't solve the problem.

Reason Why No. 2: Replenish the Farm System

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ANAHEIM, CA - DECEMBER 10: Mikael Backlund #11 of the Calgary Flames skates against the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center on December 10, 2010 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

If you follow hockey, then you know the Flames' farm system consists of Mikael Backlund and little else. There are teams whose farm systems are stacked compared to the Flames. Trading Iginla would at least get some top-name prospects in to replenish the system and start rebuilding.

Reason Why Not No. 2: Appeasing the Fan Base

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VANCOUVER, CANADA - JANUARY 5: Jarome Iginla #12 of the Calgary Flames tries to get past Keith Ballard #4 of the Vancouver Canucks with a toe drag move during the first period in NHL action on January 05, 2011 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (P

The fans have stuck by the Flames considering the roller coaster ride they've been on the last two years, but they've also seen a lot of bad hockey over the years and especially in the last 15 years. What would trading Iginla accomplish more than maybe admitting that it's time to tear it down and rebuild, and lead to more bad hockey?

Reason Why No. 1: Cap Space. Beautiful Cap Space

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DALLAS, TX - DECEMBER 23: Right wing Jarome Iginla #12 of the Calgary Flames at American Airlines Center on December 23, 2010 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Thanks to some questionable deals by Darryl Sutter (I'll never forget the looks of stunned, disbelief silence on TSN when news broke that Alex Tanguay and Olli Jokinen were coming back), the Flames have some definite cap issues that need to be fixed. Trading Iginla would not only bring in prospects, but clear up cap space to perhaps make up for some of those bad contracts.

Reason Why Not No. 1: Trading Iginla Won't Make the Flames Better

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ANAHEIM, CA - DECEMBER 10: Jerome Iginla #12 of the Calgary Flames receives high fives from the bench after scoring a goal against the Anaheim Ducks in the third period at the Honda Center on December 10, 2010 in Anaheim, California. The Ducks defeated t

Iginla being traded will not spark the Flames. It won't make Jay Bouwmeester play defense and it won't make Matt Stajan score a goal. It won't even make Olli Jokinen useful. It might just rip the heart and soul out of the Flames and the fan base in Calgary and leave the painful realization that there's a long road ahead to return to the promised land for Flames fans.

And the Verdict Is....

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DALLAS, TX - DECEMBER 23: Right wing Jarome Iginla #12 of the Calgary Flames at American Airlines Center on December 23, 2010 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

So, now that we've seen a couple of the pros and cons, what should the Flames do with Iginla?

As I mentioned, trading Iginla won't make them better and it won't spark a playoff run. He's still the best forward they have and the best chance to make the playoffs will be with him. And somehow, this team is still in it.

But if the Flames really want to turn the franchise back in the right direction, they need a rebuild. And that won't happen around Iginla. He's the only one that can bring back the top prospects and cap space needed right now, especially with the goaltending market pretty much dried up.

When it comes down to it, the Flames won't trade Iginla. But there's no harm in at least listening.