Joe Iginla, the second son of former Calgary Flames star Jarome Iginla, impressed many in his Western Junior Hockey League (WHL) debut.
The 15-year-old forward was urgently recalled from the Edmonton Oil Kings and played two games this weekend. The young man took advantage of the opportunity to score a goal and an assist.
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The 2008-born right-hander was the Oil Kings' first-round pick (12th overall) last spring. Typically, 15-year-old hockey players are not allowed to play in the WHL, but Iginla was given a “tryout” due to the numerous injuries plaguing the Alberta team. The rules of the junior circuit stipulate that a 15-year-old can only play five games with the team that selected him a few months earlier.
It also appears that it wasn't playing against older players that made Joe Iginla nervous before his WHL debut.
“To be honest, I didn’t want to miss my solo performance. “That's what worries me the most,” Iginla said when asked about his state of mind before Friday's game. People told me not to fall and not to miss the net, so I was really stressed.”
Joe Iginla isn't the first child of the former National Hockey League player to stand out on the ice. His brother Tij is considered the top candidate for the next Bettman Tour Draft. The 17-year-old center plays for the Kelowna Rockets and has recorded 42 points in 32 games so far in 2023-2024. Additionally, Jade Iginla wears the colors of the Brown University women's ice hockey team. The 19-year-old is contesting her second campaign there.