There were gasps and chatter at first when Utah Hockey Club owners Ryan and Ashley Smith called Tij Iginla’s name. Many expected the young forward to drop down to nine, where his dad’s former team, the Calgary Flames, would scoop him up. Instead, the younger Iginla threw on a black and light blue jersey and made history as Utah’s first draft pick.
Forging His Own Path
As soon as his name was called, Tij embraced his dad, Jarome, who couldn’t have looked any happier and proud of his son. Despite Jarome being busy playing out his own career and now working as a special advisor to Flames general manager Craig Conroy, he was instrumental in helping Tij get to where he is now.
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“He’s so important,” Tij said. “Obviously, through the things that he knows, he’s gone through things like this. My family as well. My mom and my brother, my sister, my grandparents have been so important to me. I’m so grateful to have them and so appreciative of all the things they’ve done.”
However, Tij is now focusing on forging his own path. He was drafted higher than his dad and will now play for a completely new team—one that didn’t even exist when his dad played.
Perhaps it’s a perfect match between Tij and Utah. Both are trying to create their own destiny and develop their own identities out of the shadows that loom over them. The Utah Hockey Club isn’t the Arizona Coyotes, and Tij isn’t Jarome.
“It’s gonna be surreal,” Smith said. “I think you know what it means. Everyone can kind of visualize that it’s the first time. It’s the first moment. More than that there’s a family. There’s a kid who’s worked his entire life to get to this moment. He gets to be the very first draft pick in the Utah franchise history. That’s, that’s pretty incredible. That’s something that no one else is ever going to be able to say. I’ve learned in life that so much of it is about the story. That’s a pretty cool story to be able to tell. I think for all the kids that are coming out, today and tomorrow, they’re gonna have an incredible story to tell.”
Tij in Utah
Tij is now heading to Salt Lake City to join a young group of players like Josh Doan, Dylan Guenther, and Logan Cooley. He’s excited to join them, and while he has never been to Salt Lake City, he is already looking forward to watching Smith’s other team play.
“I think it’ll be cool with the Jazz being in the same facility,” Tij said. “I think it’d be cool to have that shared with an NBA team and maybe go to some games and things like that. So I’m looking forward to that.”
Tij finished this past year with 47 goals and 84 points with the Kelowna Rockets, an impressive accolade for the rookie. His hands and shot are some of the most talked-about features. The main drawback is his speed, which can be improved. Many are projecting him to make the NHL in two to three seasons, but he’s not worried about his timeline right now.
However, it’s not just the talent and skill that makes someone worth drafting. It’s the actual person who is pulling on the jersey as well. In Tij, he wants to make sure Utah fans know that he’s going to be not just the best player he can be but the best person he can be as well.
“I try to be the best player I can be, but I try to be a good person as well and try to do the right thing as much as I can,” Tij said. “I’m Christian; I believe in God. So I believe he’s got a plan for me, and when those plans brought me to Utah.”
Overall, Tij is a great fit for Utah and their new fanbase. Not only does he bring youth and skill to the team, but he also brings a great and honest personality. He’ll be a fan favorite, similar to his dad. He’ll bleed for Utah, and it’s something that’ll keep growing the new Utah culture.
“There’s a certain attraction to the name,” general manager Bill Armstrong said. “When you get to know them, and we take our time, getting to know them all year long by interviewing them, going to combines, we meet their parents, we bring them in. By the end you you know, it’s not the name. You fall in love with the player and his talent level. You forget about the name. That’s crucial for us. The name, you can celebrate on draft day, but he’s got to have talent, and he’s got to have passion. He’s got to want to bleed for Utah. We believe he has that, and he’ll stand on his own. I think he’s gonna make his own name in the NHL.”
Tij will most likely return to the Rockets next season, but when he eventually makes his debut with Utah, he’ll make history. It’ll be his own name, making it and paving his own path in the league while helping the youngest franchise in the league begin its own path to glory.
