CALGARY - For years, Jarome Iginla played through just about everything hockey could throw at him.
Broken bones, bruises, bumps, slashes, playoff wars and the relentless punishment of more than 1,600 NHL games. Nothing seemed capable of keeping one of the toughest competitors in Calgary Flames history down for long.
Now, the Hockey Hall of Famer is facing a battle far removed from the rink.
“Unfortunately I have been battling some health issues,” said the 49-year-old from his home in Lake Country, B.C.
“Some neurological issues. I’m not entirely sure what it is, it may be from metal toxins from reaction to the cobalt hip.”
Iginla underwent hip replacement surgery a few years ago after a career spent absorbing the physical toll of professional hockey. Complications followed, along with medications that have affected his energy, weight and speech.
There are concerns that the cobalt-chromium components used in some artificial hip implants can release metal ions and debris through wear or corrosion, potentially causing complications as they enter the bloodstream.
He also had high mercury levels in his body and is working to get that down, while trying to determine if the cause is related to the cobalt poisoning.
Iginla has spent well over a year getting tests and consulting with medical professionals in an ongoing effort to get answers about what is happening and how best to treat it.
“I need more time to figure it all out, but I’m still hopeful that I will recover fully,” he said.
“Things are slowly getting under control, thanks be to God.”
That's the encouraging part. The rest remains a work in progress.
The news will undoubtedly hit Flames fans hard, particularly those who remember the force of nature Iginla was during his 16 seasons in Calgary as the face of the franchise.
A powerful right winger with a wicked shot, an imposing frame and a rare combination of skill, toughness and leadership, Iginla became the standard against which Flames players were measured.
He remains the club's all-time leader in games played, goals and points, finishing his Calgary career with 525 goals and 1,095 points in 1,219 games, before moving on to Pittsburgh, Boston, Colorado and L.A.
His finest moment in a Flames uniform came during the unforgettable 2004 playoff run, when he helped drag a team that few expected to contend all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Flames ultimately fell one game short against Tampa Bay, but Iginla's performance that spring cemented his place in Calgary hockey folklore.
He was a two-time 50-goal scorer, a six-time NHL All-Star and a two-time Olympic gold medallist with Canada, including the iconic 2010 Vancouver Games, when he assisted Sidney Crosby's golden goal.
His international résumé also includes a World Championship, World Cup of Hockey title and World Junior Championship. He won two Memorial Cups with the Kamloops Blazers before becoming the 11th-overall selection in the 1995 NHL Draft. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020.
Since retiring in 2018, Iginla has largely stayed out of the spotlight, devoting much of his time to coaching and supporting his children as they pursued their own hockey careers.
Two of his children, Tij and Jade, have turned professional, while his youngest son Joe was selected by the Flames this summer, creating another connection between the family and the organization Jarome helped define.
Iginla returned to the Flames in an official capacity in 2023, when he was named special advisor to general manager Craig Conroy. His role has included occasional trips to Calgary to watch the team and offer guidance.
He has never been one to chase the cameras, preferring to let his work and his family life take priority.
That relative privacy has made recent glimpses of Iginla all the more noticeable.
A video featuring Jarome and Joe filmed ahead of this summer's NHL Draft surfaced recently, prompting concern among fans, with some struck by Iginla's noticeably slimmer appearance and a voice that sounded different from the one they remembered.
The reaction speaks to the affection Calgary still has for its former captain.
Only Lanny McDonald can rival Iginla's standing among Flames fans. His impact went well beyond the numbers, built on years of carrying the club, playing through pain and representing the city with a combination of pride and humility.
For now, Iginla is asking for time as doctors work to determine exactly what is wrong.
“Still working through it, but I’m hopeful,” added the Edmonton native.
After everything he gave the game, Flames fans everywhere will be hoping he can summon that same determination for the most important fight of his life.
