Color of Hockey: Jade Iginla wins gold with Hall of Fame father watching

William Douglas has been writing The Color of Hockey blog since 2012. Douglas joined NHL.com in 2019 and writes about people of color in the sport. Today, he profiles Jade Iginla, the daughter of Hockey Hall of Fame forward Jarome Iginla, who won a gold medal with Canada at the IIHF Under-18 Women's World Championship.

Jade Iginla said she isn't sure what she'll do with the gold medal she won playing for Canada at the IIHF Under-18 Women's World Championship in June.
"It's sitting downstairs on my dresser," the 17-year-old right wing said recently from her family's home in Kelowna, British Columbia. "Do I put it away yet? Once I put it away, when am I going to get it back down? It's not something, like, you drive around with."
Iginla, the oldest child of Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, may not know what to do with her first international medal, but she's sure of one thing: She wants to win more.
"It's so much inspiration, I feel like I'm hardwired now," she said. "I just want to get back there, get back to the camp, to be with the staff, teammates and that culture of excellence. It's so motivating."

Iginla had three points (one goal, two assists) in three games at the tournament in Madison, Wisconsin, including an assist on Canada's second goal in a 3-2 win against the United States in the championship game.
It was a moment that her father nearly missed because she wasn't expected to play after she sustained an upper-body injury in a pre-tournament game against the United States. The injury forced her to miss the preliminary round of the U-18 Worlds.
"We were bummed out she wasn't going to be playing and we can't even interact when she's there because they're kind of in a bubble," Jarome Iginla said. "So then we almost didn't go because if we aren't going to see her, she's not playing. But then we're like, 'Nope, we're going to go and support,' and we're thrilled we did. Unexpectedly, she was able to join them, and each game was a thrill to watch, especially when she was in them."
Jarome Iginla was a proud hockey dad at games, albeit one with 1,300 points (625 goals, 675 assists) in 1,554 NHL games over 20 seasons with the Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings. He cheered for Jade wearing red Canada and University of Wisconsin paraphernalia and said watching her brought back memories of his time competing on the international stage.

Jarome played in the 2002 Salt Lake City, 2006 Turin and 2010 Vancouver Olympics. He helped Canada win gold in Salt Lake City and Vancouver, where he assisted on Sidney Crosby's iconic medal-clinching overtime goal in a 3-2 win against the United States. He also won gold in 1996 at the IIHF World Junior Championship and World Championship and at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. He had 47 points (23 goals, 24 assists) in 47 international games over seven tournaments.
"It's cool because I got to go through it and to see, as a player representing Canada, the process, and the pride that players have," Iginla said. "I was thrilled and felt very blessed to see her play and be a part of it."
He also learned that it's easier to play in international competition than sitting in the stands and watching your child do it.
"I'm on the other side of it now and I definitely get nervous," he said. "My boys (Tij and Joe) were really into it. They're doing play-by-play stuff. They're like, 'Calm it down, there are other parents around.' I get now why some parents move away when their (children) are younger and they always sit, in baseball, in the outfield or something."

Jade made Canada's roster after she had 28 points (18 goals, 10 assists) in 22 games last season for RINK Hockey Academy in Kelowna, where Jarome coaches the Under-15 boys' team. She said she doesn't feel much pressure from having a famous hockey father and whatever pressure she and her younger brothers feel is fueled by their passion for hockey.
"It's mostly internal pressure, honestly," she said. "I think we get pushed by each other because we all want to have success. Obviously, my dad had an exceptional career, but we all want to create our own path."
Jade's path takes her next to Providence, Rhode Island, where she'll play for Brown University this fall. She hopes it will also lead her back to international play, including the Winter Olympics.
"I want to play at the highest level possible and, obviously, that's what you grow up watching, working toward," she said.
Photos: Michaeline Veluvolu and Chris Tanouye/HHOF-IIHF Images