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The Aging Captain Effect- Naslund vs Iginla |
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A few days ago on Twitter I retweeted a comment about the 'situation with Iginla being similar to Naslund at the end with Vancouver". Do you agree?
Without doing an exhaustive Google search on the issue, I went by pure memory, I think the scenario playing out in Calgary is much different than it was for Naslund near his end in Vancouver.
For those who are not aware there is A LOT of heat directed at the captain in Calgary. I like reading Shaune Vetter's blogs and I look at a fair bit of Calgary stuff on Myhockeybuzz as I view them as a chief rival to the Canucks. When this comment came up I instantly dismissed it as inaccurate but after tweeting my opinion I heard from many with contrary views.
I firmly believe that the life force for Naslund and hockey was sucked out of him after the Bertuzzi debacle. He was not the same nor was his game or the team. It had a massive trickle down effect. The fact that the lockout happened when it did certainly did not help his game or the Canucks' chances. Iginla has not had anything close to the events which Naslund faced with his concussion and his friend- right or wrong as you may see it.
Naslund had a supporting cast in Morrison and Bertuzzi- a great line that had a few dominant seasons as the West Coast Express. He also had emerging stars on the second line and a solid defense, but Naslund never had a goalie who could win games until after his prime when he and Luongo overlapped in Vancouver for two seasons. Iginla had the goalie in Kipper and solid defense but never had the linemates or true second line to take the heat and pressure off of him. Not until this year has the Flames forward roster been able to throw together a decent enough 9 who can score. (at least as I recall)
Where this comparison becomes interesting is the current malaise plaguing Iginla and Calgary- where has the captain gone? Any good Flames fan can tell you the stats on Iginla after last November, they are not pretty. At least not for a perennial all-star and premier power forward. But are they much different that Naslund as he aged?
Markus Naslund
1998–99 Vancouver Canucks NHL 80 36 30 66
1999–00 Vancouver Canucks NHL 82 27 38 65
2000–01 Vancouver Canucks NHL 72 41 34 75
2001–02 Vancouver Canucks NHL 81 40 50 90
2002–03 Vancouver Canucks NHL 82 48 56 104
2003–04 Vancouver Canucks NHL 78 35 49 84
2004–05 Modo Hockey SEL 13 8 9 17 8
2005–06 Vancouver Canucks NHL 81 32 47 79
2006–07 Vancouver Canucks NHL 82 24 36 60
2007–08 Vancouver Canucks NHL 82 25 30 55
Jarome Iginla
1998–99 Calgary Flames NHL 82 28 23 51
1999–00 Calgary Flames NHL 77 29 34 63
2000–01 Calgary Flames NHL 77 31 40 71
2001–02 Calgary Flames NHL 82 52 44 96
2002–03 Calgary Flames NHL 75 35 32 67
2003–04 Calgary Flames NHL 81 41 32 73
2004–05 DNP — lockout NHL — — — — —
2005–06 Calgary Flames NHL 82 35 32 67
2006–07 Calgary Flames NHL 70 39 55 94
2007–08 Calgary Flames NHL 82 50 48 98
2008–09 Calgary Flames NHL 82 35 54 89
2009–10 Calgary Flames NHL 82 32 37 69
Iginlas's stats are superior and in no way am I comparing the two players and their value and abilities versus each other just the situations.
For the Nsalund the change with the Canucks happened after the team missed the 2006 post season. Bertuzzi was traded and coach Mark Crawford fired. Alain Vigneault was brought up from the Moose and a wholesale change was made to the team centering around Henrik and Daniel Sedin and a puck possession game. It was a defensive first strategy and it was the best situation for the team, certainly not for Naslund. It brought the team a division championship and a second round exit to the eventual SC champions. In 2007-08 things came off the rails for the team down the stretch and they missed the post season. Naslund's contract was up and he said publicly that he did not want to play in a system like the one employed by AV and the Canucks. He was honest and true to the fans and team.
Enter the off season for 2010 the first post season miss in 6 seasons for the Flames and a lot of questions with few answers. Iginla has been asked if he would accept a trade and the response was one that purely personifies what many say of Iginla- he was true to his reputation. "whatever will help the team, it's their decision" (my paraphrase as I recall it).
Some say Naslund mailed it in those last two seasons and some say it was obvious he didn't want to be there during the transition period from his core to the next core. I say he did what was asked of him to the best he could. He played a team game, played the system and did exactly what a captain should even though it was not what he wanted. He honoured his contract to the best of his abilities. Here in lies the debate amongst Flames fans with Iginla- has he worn tired of the carousel of coaches and players and is now playing his game?
Iginla turns 34 this coming year and he has seen a drop off in his stats last season and appears to be on course this season for similar totals. The observations within the Flames' fan base and media centre around Iginla not being able to carry the load anymore, hard games on the legs, cannot power to the net anymore... insert your hockey cliche here. He is not playing the same dominant style he has for many seasons and this has Calgary fans concerned about him and the fortunes of the team.
Iginla has not complained about the coaches or the systems but there appears to be rampant speculation. Naslund was often vocal about his concerns with management at times- his comments about being disappointed when trades did not happen. The famous 'we choked' line also lends credit to his bluntness. Iginla has been a true 'company man' has never leveled criticism at anyone to my knowledge and been a class individual noted by many within the league. Why have many Flames fans turned their back on him?
As the captain and 'heart and soul' of the team does he unfairly take the fall if the team does not meet fan expectations? Has the management group set expectations so high as to make them barely attainable for this crop of Flames players?
I saw Nalsund's last years in Vancouver as a reaction to events he did not control which happened before his last deal. True to the fans and organization he played the way he was asked. He had been replaced as top point getter by emerging stars Henrik and Daniel Sedin in a system he did not care to play but played anyway. Iginla is in much the same scenario except the organization does not have any 'heir apparent'. There are some quality players but as time catches up the team suffers because who else is there to take on Iginla's role?
While Naslund had the Sedins to pass the proverbial torch to who does Iginla have? The Canucks organization has more modest success since the lockout in terms of playoff depth compared to appearances but seems poised to learn and challenge. That same statement would be very hard to defend if said about the Flames. Naslund's final years, compared to what may be the final run with Iginla in Calgary, are different not because of how they have played as time catches up to everyone. Rather, it is what went on around them which has made them the either revered or the scapegoat for fans.
If I had to make one conclusive observation about the two team it would be that braintrust of the Canucks looked forward and prepared for the Naslund era's end. I don't think that has happened in Calgary.
Enjoy the day.
Vancouver Canucks Blogger • 
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