In Juniors, Iginla was a member of 2 Memorial Cup winning teams with the Kamloops Blazers and was named the Western Hockey League (WHL) Player of the Year in 1996. He was selected 11th overall by the Dallas Stars in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft but was traded to Calgary before making his NHL debut. Nicknamed "Iggy", he led the NHL in goals and points in 2001–02, and won the Lester B. Pearson Award as its MVP as voted by the players. In 2003–04, Iginla led the league in goals for the second time and captained the Flames to the Stanley Cup Finals, leading the playoffs in goals.

A 6-time NHL All-Star, Iginla is the Flames' all-time leader in goals, points, and games played, and is second in assists to Al MacInnis. Iginla scored 50 goals in a season on two occasions and is one of 7 players in NHL history to score 30 goals in 11 consecutive seasons. He is one of 20 players in NHL history to score over 600 goals and is one of 34 players to record 1,300 points in his career. He is a past winner of the Mark Messier Leadership Award and has been recognized by both the Flames and the league for his community work; while a member of the Flames, Iginla donated $2,000 to the children's charity Kidsport for every goal he scored. His #12 was retired by the Flames during a pre-game ceremony on March 2, 2019.

Internationally, Iginla has represented Canada on numerous occasions. He was a member of championship teams at the 1996 World Junior and 1997 World Championships as well as the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. He is a three-time Olympian and two-time gold medal winner, including at the 2002 Winter Olympics where he helped lead Canada to its 1st Olympic hockey championship in 50 years. 

Iginla was selected for the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020, during his first year of eligibility. Iginla is the 4th Black player inducted after Grant Fuhr, women's hockey pioneer Angela James, and Willie O'Ree.

On June 24, 2020, Iginla was selected for the Hockey Hall of Fame, in his 1st year of eligibility.

Awards & Achievements:

Junior:

Memorial Cup Championship team: 1994, 1995

George Parsons Trophy (Most sportsmanlike player of the Memorial Cup): 1995

WHL West first All-Star team: 1996

Four Broncos Memorial Trophy (WHL player of the year): 1996

CHL first All-Star team: 1996

Team awards:

Molson Cup (CGY – Most 3-star selections):  2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2011

Ralph T. Scurfield Humanitarian Award (CGY – Humanitarian contributions): 2001, 2002

J. R. McCaig Award (CGY – Respect, courtesy and compassion):  2008

NHL:

All-Rookie Team: 1997

First team All-Star:  2002, 2008, 2009

NHL All-Star Game:  2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012      

Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy (Leading goal scorer):  2002, 2004

Art Ross Trophy (Leading point scorer):  2002

Lester B. Pearson Award (Most Outstanding Player as voted by the players):  2002

Second team All-Star:  2004

King Clancy Memorial Trophy (Leadership and humanitarian contributions):  2004

NHL Foundation Player Award (Commitment, perseverance and teamwork in the community):  2004

NHL 2000s All-Decade First Team:  2009     

Mark Messier Leadership Award:  2009

Hockey Hall of Fame:  2020

International:

World Junior first All-Star team: 1996

World Junior Best Forward: 1996     

Iginla played in 1,554 career NHL games.

Iginla won gold medals at the Olympics in 2002 and 2010.

Medal record:

Representing Canada

Olympics:

Gold medal – 1st place: 2002 Salt Lake City    

Gold medal – 1st place: 2010 Vancouver  

World Championship:

Gold medal – 1st place: 1997 Finland

World Cup:

Gold medal – 1st place:  2004 World Cup of Hockey

World Junior Championship:

Gold medal – 1st place: 1996 (USA)

The stick blade contains his original hand signed autograph and is not a reprint.