Tij Iginla appreciates the advantages of having a famous father, but the 2024 NHL Draft prospect is focused on creating his own identity.
Iginla, the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, is one of 40 players taking part in the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at Avenir Centre in Moncton, New Brunswick, on Wednesday (6:30 p.m. ET; TSN, RDS, NHLN).
"I think some people might discredit me a little bit, say he's just here because of his dad or whatever," Tij Iginla said on the latest edition of the "NHL Draft Class" podcast. "But definitely the pros of having him with me and working with me and as a dad definitely outweigh the cons, for sure."
Tij Iginla (6-foot, 186 pounds) has 55 points (31 goals, 24 assists) in 40 games for Kelowna of the Western Hockey League this season, his third in the WHL. The 17-year-old forward is No. 11 in NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of the top North American skaters for the 2024 draft.
Jarome Iginla was selected with the No. 11 pick of the 1995 NHL Draft, had 1,300 points (625 goals, 675 assists) in 1,554 NHL games and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.
Tij Iginla also discussed what qualities most impressed him about his father, whether he believes he can play center or wing in the NHL and what sport he nearly chose instead of hockey.
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