Tij Iginla #12 of the Utah Hockey Club plays the Colorado Avalanche in the second period at Ball Arena on September 29, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – On Wednesday evening, the Utah Hockey Club announced that former first round selection Tij Iginla underwent successful hip surgery and will miss the remainder of the season with the Kelowna Rockets.
According to #UtahHC
Tij Iginla underwent successful hip surgery and will miss the remainder of the season with the Kelowna Rockets.
Huge bummer for the No. 6 overall pick.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 5, 2024
After being sent back to his junior team following the Utah Hockey Club’s training camp and preseason, Iginla was on track for a career season with the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL. In just 21 games, Iginla had recorded 14 goals and 18 assists for 32 total points (second-best on the team).
Given his current production, Iginla was on pace to record 99 points, up 20 percent from his previous campaign.
Iginla goal 🚨👀#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 1, 2024
Missing the remainder of his junior season is a significant and unfortunate setback for Iginla. Given his production this year, Iginla was bettering his chances of competing for a roster spot with the Utah Hockey Club next season.
However, given the nature of the surgery, this will likely set him back and significantly increase the chances of him having to play another year in the juniors for Kelowna.
While nothing has been confirmed, there’s also a chance that this surgery may have something to do with the fact that Iginla was not invited to Canada’s World Junior Selection camp.
The Utah Hockey Club will now travel to Buffalo for the first of a two-game Eastern road trip against the Sabres. The game can be viewed on SEG+. Fans can also tune in on air on the KSL Sports APP or on 97.5 and 1280 The Zone. Click here for the full schedule.
