from Eric Francis of Sportsnet,
Standing at the top of the circle from which he’d scored so many of his goals, Jarome Iginla looked up at the saddle-shaped roof with a glint in his eye.
There were no tears. It wasn’t that type of ceremony.
Although he played the game with a raw emotion no coach can teach, Iginla warned a day earlier he wasn’t the sentimental type.
With his 10 and 12-year-old sons (Joe and Tij), his 14-year-old daughter (Jade) and wife Kara by his side, they watched his no. 12 ascend to the rafters. The C of Red had risen several times earlier in the night to welcome the longtime captain back to the city in which he gave everything for 16 years. But the sustained roar that accompanied the finality of a highly-anticipated jersey retirement was a moment no one in attendance will forget.
Nor will they forget the parting words of a man who capped the 57-minute ceremony with a riot-inducing promise.
“We look forward to many, many cup runs ahead,” said the 500-goal man of a team that may be better now than he ever played on.
If you missed it last night, watch some of the ceremony here.
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