Iginla rises to top of WHL crop

Kelowna Rockets forward Tij Iginla has been named the Western Hockey League’s Player of the Week.

The 17-year-old centre collected 3 goals and 6 assists in four games, and contributed to all three game-winning goals as the Rockets went 3-1-0-0 on the week to close out a seven-game road trip.

Iginla, son of Hockey Hall-of-Famer Jarome Iginla, scored his 25th goal of the season, and added one assist on the game winner by Gabriel Szturc in overtime as the Rockets upset the league-co-leading Saskatoon Blades 5-4 on Saturday.

Iginla is currently riding a six-game point streak that’s seen him net six goals and 12 assists.

His 42 points is second only to Andrew Cristall in the Rockets points race.

The Lake Country product is eligible for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft in Las Vegas, and NHL Central Scouting rated Iginla as a ‘B’ prospect in October, projecting him to be drafted in the second or third round.

The Rockets (15-15-2-0) sit third in the B.C. Division and have earned points in seven of their past 10 games.

Kelowna returns from the holiday break on Dec. 27 when they visit the Kamloops Blazers.

Meantime, Tij’s 15-year-old brother, Joe Iginla, scored his first WHL goal for the Edmonton Oil Kings in an overtime win over the Regina Pats on Sunday.

Jarome Iginla's son Joe has scored his first goal in the WHL!

(via @EdmOilKings) pic.twitter.com/qJL9NWtA0c

— BarDown (@BarDown) December 18, 2023