The hockey world went crazy on Wednesday evening as Jarome Iginla, originally destined for the Boston Bruins, suddenly went to the Penguins.
In return for their captain, the Flames received a 2013 1st-round pick and the rights to college prospects Kenneth Agostino and Ben Hanowski.
"When it came down to the choice that I had, it is really hard to pass up an opportunity to play on a team with Sid [Crosby] and [Evgeni] Malkin, and the roll that they are on and the success that they've had," Iginla said Thursday during his final press conference in Calgary.
The sudden change was met with some resentment by Boston general Peter Chiarelli. "We were told [by Calgary] at noon that we'd won the Iginla sweepstakes," Chiarelli told the media Thursday. "We believed we had a deal."
So what exactly happened? "I guess they - I don't want to put words in Calgary organization's mouths, collective mouths. But, I assume that it's because of the magnitude of the player that Jarome was for their organization, they wanted to give him some space on this. That's all I can say on that," Chiarelli added.
"As time went on, the doubt started to grow," Chiarelli noted. "At around five eastern, and I've talked to the Calgary, Jay [Feaster], between five eastern and it's kind of radio silence. So, that's when I started, and I know obviously something is going on here. There's obviously, I make efforts to call and all that, but when nothing gets returned, you know that something is going on."
"This kind of stuff happens. It shouldn't, but it does," Chiarelli revealed. "The reality of no-movement and no-trade clause, it's going to happen more. But, it's a disappointment, but you get back on your horse and you go out there and find some more players."
The move for Iginla is the Penguin's third big trade of the week. The team previously traded for Dallas' captain Brenden Morrow as well as San Jose's Douglas Murray.
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