Should the Philadelphia Flyers draft the son of an NHL legend?

Say what you will about nepotism, but the Flyers have had a history of success with it. In the 1980s, the Flyers struck gold when the team acquired Mark Howe, the son of Gordie Howe.

Last year, the team drafted Oliver Bonk, the son of Radek Bonk, and Cole Knuble, the son of former Flyer Mike Knuble. In the upcoming NHL draft, it is possible that the Flyers could select another one at 12th overall. Both seem to be doing well in the minors.

Jarome Iginla is one of the greatest players in NHL history. In 20 seasons, he put together an amazing career. He scored 625 goals, tied for 16th with Joe Sakic.

To that, you can add 675 assists which places him 36th overall with 1300 points. The Hall of Famer was a four-time all-star with a whole trophy case filled with awards. He is still the all-time leader in points and goals for the Calgary Flames.

The Philadelphia Flyers should consider Tij Iginla in the 2024 NHL Draft

One of the top prospects at center in this year's upcoming draft is Iginla's 17-year-old son, Tij. playing for the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL, he showed that he may possess the same skills as his dad. He scored 47 goals and 84 points in 64 games.

That was good for sixth place in the WHL for goals and 22nd in points. That's pretty impressive when a lot of the guys in the league are two to three years older than him. 

Many NHL scouts project him as a center, but he can play along the wing too.  The Flyers could use that sort of versatility in the years to come and he could be a natural partner for years to come with Matvei Michkov.

Of Iginla, Dayton Reimer of The Hockey Writers said:

"Iginla will slide in easily to a top-six spot in the future. He already has plenty of pro habits, and as he continues to build strength, he’ll become a dangerous sniper who will be impossible to knock off the puck. I think his game style is similar to Chris Kreider’s as both players are hard-working, goal-scoring wingers who aren’t afraid to use physicality. But it’s not their preferred method, and they instead rely on high intelligence and superior puck-handling to create opportunities."

So, you have a guy who has a great hockey pedigree in his background and is being compared to Flyers-killer Chris Kreider. What's not to like? If he somehow falls to 12th, the Flyers really should consider selecting him.

He's young, raw, and could be a powerful force for years to come. If he's anything like his father, I have no problem with this "nepo-baby".