In the Yoruba language of Nigeria, Jarome's Iginla's surname means "The Big Tree."
The Big Tree's branches have spread wide as an influence in hockey.
The star of the Calgary Flames - who leads the league in scoring - is the first black male athlete to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics and the only black player ever named to a Canadian Olympic hockey team. He is also the only player of Nigerian descent to play in an NHL All-Star Game.
Tonight, the 24-year-old right winger will be on the ice as the Flyers host the Flames. Entering last night's play, Iginla led the league in goals scored with 39 and in points with 72, a career high.
"He is a two-way player, a very smart player," said Flyers left winger Donald Brashear, who saw a lot of Iginla as a Vancouver Canuck before coming to the Flyers this winter. "He's not scared to get his nose dirty. He's the first guy in there to get the puck and take a hit. He's a very complete player."
Iginla (pronounced Ih-GIHN-lah) was asked earlier this season during an NHL conference call whether his presence was one reason more blacks were being seen attending hockey games.
"Oh, it does for sure," he replied. "I think it's a great game. It's a lot of fun. I love to see the sport grow, and when I was younger, I really looked up to Grant Fuhr, playing right in Edmonton, and I would love to be a role model for young kids.
"If young kids of color want to play the game, I'd love it if I could be a role model for them and if they would look up to me."
Brashear, who like Iginla and Fuhr is black, says he understands the role Iginla plays in hockey.
"There are not many black players in the game," Brashear said. "Every black athlete inspires black children. . . . Most aspire to football and baseball and basketball. The ones interested in hockey have a little bit of interest. But they don't believe until they see a black player out there. That inspires them and makes all of us feel good."
Iginla could become the first Canadian to win the Maurice Richard Trophy for leading goal scorer, and the first Canadian other than Mario Lemieux or Wayne Gretzky to win the Art Ross Trophy for the scoring title since Marcel Dionne in 1980.
Flyers right winger Mark Recchi knew Iginla as a junior player in Recchi's hometown of Kamloops, B.C.
