Jarome Iginla’s time in Calgary has to be coming to an end. Rumors continue to pour in that the Flames are entertaining trade offers for Iginla, but the longer they wait before making a deal, the worse Iginla’s trade value becomes. For a team that appears to be going nowhere fast, the longer they wait to pull the trigger on a deal for Iginla, the lower the return they’re likely to get back in trade.

Iginla currently has nine goals and eight assists. He’s on pace to finish the season with 70 points, one above the number he finished with last season. He hasn’t scored less than 30 goals in a season in over a decade, so he’s still proving to be a quality forward on a bad team. What he could bring to a team with talented players flying up with him on his left side could be very special, but only if he’s able to adjust to life outside of Calgary.

The Flames have told reporters that they’ve not discussed dealing Iginla with any other teams, but that seems merely the same old media speak to protect a player’s feelings while the team decides his future on his behalf. Iginla’s currently on a hot streak for scoring, and he’s famous for his aggressive style, but his ability to score goals at the pace he is now can’t keep going forever, and his body certainly must be feeling the pain of 14 years of NHL brutality.

The province of Alberta has a lot of problems right now. The Flames and the Oilers account for the bottom two spots in the Western Conference and while people still expect this kind of play from a rebuilding Edmonton franchise, Calgary has been nothing more than a huge disappointment to its fans. The right move for the Flames is to deal Iginla for young and talented players they can build into the team of the future instead of mulling around with their currently assembled team of the past.