BOSTON — Jarome Iginla knows what 600 goals look like, and soon, he will know how it feels to reach that milestone.
Iginla was the 29-year-old captain of the Calgary Flames on Feb. 15, 2007, when Avalanche legend and current Colorado general manager Joe Sakic scored his 600th goal in Calgary. Iginla, now in his second season with the Avs, scored his 596th goal Tuesday in a 4-0 victory at Philadelphia.
Iginla, 38, is bound to become the 19th NHL player to reach 600. He remembers Sakic’s 600th, a third-period insurance goal in Colorado’s 7-5 victory at the Saddledome that completed a five-point night for Sakic.
“I was pretty upset at the time because they sealed the game with that goal,” Iginla said. “But after the fact, it was pretty neat to see him score 600.”
WATCH:
Sakic finished with 100 points that season and 1,641 in his career (ninth, all-time). Iginla, who has 1,238 career points, is just a point behind former Quebec Nordiques superstar Peter Stastny for 37th all-time.
Sakic and Stastny are in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Iginla said he watched bits and pieces of the 2015 hall induction ceremony Monday. Based on his scoring, leadership and character, Iginla is likely to join Sakic in the hall after his career is over.
“Honestly, when I was 19 or 20 years old I was just trying to make the NHL. I was never thinking I could score 600 goals,” said Iginla, who leads the Avs with seven goals this season. “At the beginning of my third year, I remember thinking, ‘Geez, maybe I’m not going to be a goal-scorer in the NHL — but at least I’m in the NHL.’ Most of us were all pretty used to scoring in minor hockey and junior, and then you get to the NHL and you’re not sure what your role is going to be.
“But I got some breaks and became more confident, and you just try to sustain that confidence. I’ve always been in good situations, got to play with great passers and took lots of shots, and got to play on the power play. I feel very fortunate.”
If it weren’t for his kids, Iginla said he wouldn’t know where he stands in the all-time scoring charts.
“I think about it in the summers and stuff, because my kids play hockey and my daughter now too. They’re 11, 9 and 7, so we kind of look at it for fun,” he said. “But during the season I don’t look at it at all.”
Good debut. Forward Andreas Martinsen of Norway, who is playing his first professional season in North American, made his NHL debut against the Flyers and likely will play Thursday against the Bruins.
Despite Martinsen committing Colorado’s only penalty — a roughing minor — Avs coach Patrick Roy was impressed.
“I thought he had a good game. He was physical, made some good decisions with the puck,” Roy said of Martinsen, who is 6-foot-3 and 220 pounts. “I thought he was really good.”
Martinsen, 25, played left wing on a line with center Ben Street and Jack Skille. He logged 10:21 and produced two of the Avs’ 40 shots.
Mike Chambers: mchambers@denverpost.com or @mikechambers
NNH all-time goal-scorers (regular season)
1. Wayne Gretzky 894
2. Gordie Howe 801
3. Brett Hull 741
4. Marcel Dionne 731
5. Jaromir Jagr 729*
6. Phil Esposito 717
7. Mike Gartner 708
8. Mark Messier 694
9. Steve Yzerman 692
10. Mario Lemieux 690
11. Teemu Selanne 684
12. Luc Robitaille 668
13. Brendan Shanahan 656
14. Dave Andreychuk 640
15. Joe Sakic 625
16. Bobby Hull 610
17. Dino Ciccarelli 608
18. Jari Kurri 601
19. Jarome Iginla 596*
20. Mark Recchi 577
*Active
COLORADO AT BOSTON 5 p.m. Thursday, ALT; 950 AM
Spotlight on Tuukka Rask:
Much like the Avalanche’s Semyon Varlamov, Rask is off to a poor start in net for the Bruins, ranking 35th in goals-against average (3.22) and save percentage (.891). Rask, the 2014 Vezina Trophy winner from Finland, is coming off a 37-save victory Sunday against the Islanders. Two games earlier, he allowed five goals on 19 shots in a 5-3 loss to Dallas. Rask’s backup is Jonas Gustavsson of Sweden.
NOTEBOOK
Avalanche:
This is Game 2 of a seven-game road trip. … Goalie Semyon Varlamov is out of the lineup with a groin injury, and goalie Calvin Pickard was recalled from San Antonio. Pickard will back up Reto Berra, who leads the NHL in goals-against average (1.50) and save percentage (.952) and is third in shutouts (two). Berra beat the Bruins 2-1 last season in Boston. … The Avalanche practiced Wednesday at Boston University. … Matt Duchene has five goals in his past four games and is enjoying his time at right wing with center Nathan MacKinnon and left wing Gabe Landeskog. “I’m still a little uncomfortable there at times, but I’ve played the wing before,” Duchene said. “I like the right side better than the left. I can see more of the ice.”
Bruins:
They haven’t played since Sunday, when they edged the Islanders in New York to snap a three-game losing streak. … Boston pounded the Avs 6-2 in Colorado on Oct. 14 for its first win of the season after starting 0-3. … The Bruins, who are beginning a five-game homestand, are 1-4-1 at TD Garden. … Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg (back) is doubtful, and forward David Pastrnak (foot) is out. … Former Avs forward Max Talbot, who was traded to Boston in March, has been demoted to the Bruins’ American Hockey League affiliate in nearby Providence.
Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
