Jarome Iginla was one of the best players of my youth. He obviously played most of his career in Calgary so I didn’t get to always watch him being on the East Coast. But this article isn’t about how much he meant to the hockey world or to highlight is impressive stats. This blog is about how much he meant to me in terms of NHL Hitz for Gamecube.
Yes, a video game. Growing up before the internet was an everyday thing with 24-7 access, kids learned sports through ESPN and video games. One of my favorite games growing up was the NHL Hitz series. An arcade style 3v3 hockey game with huge hits and hard clappers. Jerome Iginla was always a favorite of mine because he had the perfect balance. The guy could fight (if you lost a fight your player was gone from the game so this was a huge deal), score, hit, and pass. Even when choosing Olympic teams he was must. He literally did everything so well. Iggy was an absolute beast and I laugh about how a video game can create such a big fan from thousands of miles away. Obviously looking back now with having hundreds if not thousands of highlights from every player to play the game, there is no denying how good he actually was.
But anyways, shout out to Jarome Iginla for a great career. Have fun sitting in the Hall of Fame. And thank you for being my secret weapon in NHL Hitz. The trifecta of every great athlete.
-Papa
The Morning Skate 