Music: {allcanada} Former Flame on Iginla: 'Where's that fire?'

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

{allcanada} Former Flame on Iginla: 'Where's that fire?'

As the face of the Calgary Flames franchise and the captain of the team, Jarome Iginla's greatest asset was always his competitiveness. And now, argues former Flames defenceman and Iginla teammate Rhett Warrener, that competitive fire is weakening.

"I don't think he's Dany Heatley slow, but he's not getting there. I don't know if he's slowed down and his compete level followed, but you don't see that fire in his eyes anymore. I think you see some frustration," Warrener, who is now an analyst for Sportsnet 960 The Fan, said on-air Tuesday, following the Flames' 2-1 shootout loss to the Minnesota Wild Monday night. "He's not a 'rah-rah in the room' guy… He's a 'hey, guys, watch me when we step on the ice and hop on my back and follow me' (guy)."

Warrener explained that in a 48-game season, Iginla needs to be better than the club's fifth-highest scorer, which is where the veteran sits now with five assists and a single goal in 10 games.

Listen now: Rhett Warrener on Jarome Iginla

"Take the point totals aside, my biggest struggle is finding him in the play, making plays, creating scoring chances, making things happen offensively for the team," Warrener said. "Where's the scrap he used to get in?"

Iginla is in the final year of his three-year, $21 million contract, and there is significant buzz around whether or not the 35-year-old scorer will be moved prior to the April 3 trade deadline.

"We all think, trade him. There's your solution. Well, for what?" Warrener said. "The next thing is, don't trade him. Fine. Well, what's Jarome willing to accept in the offseason from the Calgary Flames as a free agent? Does he want $7.5 million? Because I don't think the Flames can pay him seven and a half. Through the first 10 games, he hasn't proven he's their top guy."

Warrener, 37, retired in 2009 and rounded out his 12-season NHL career with four seasons alongside Iginla in Calgary. The players were both part of the Flames' run to the Stanley Cup final in 2004.

The Flames (3-4-3) host the Dallas Stars on Wednesday.