New Flames head coach Bob Hartley has a difficult job ahead of him. The Calgary Flames have been stuck in the mud for years and, according to a recent report, they won’t come close to spending to the cap in 2012-13.
Still, one of Hartley’s first tasks as the bench boss has been accomplished. He’s won the support of Flames captain and superstar Jarome Iginla.
“His reputation and accomplishments are very impressive. He has had success at every level,” Iginla said. “I’ve also heard good things about him from other players like Tangs (Alex Tanguay), who has played for him in the past. I have heard he is a very detailed and passionate coach.
“And from our initial conversation, I’m looking forward to learning from him and getting better as a team.”
Hartley called Iginla, but he told him that he wanted to meet in person.
“We can’t talk over the phone. We will run out of minutes,” Hartley explained to Iginla.
Of course, the elephant in the room is the constant rumors that Iginla might be traded. They have plagued the Flames organization for years and the reason they won’t die down is because dealing their aging superstar would seem to make a lot of sense. They haven’t come close to winning a Stanley Cup in years, so why not trade Iginla for prospects while he still has value?
Perhaps Hartley will be the guy to prove to the critics that the Calgary Flames can be competitive in the short-term. It won’t be an easy task though.
