"I don't think there's any one particular catch phrase he uses but he says whatever is needed to be said at that moment, whether it's something easy to hear or not so easy,” Tij said. “He'll let me know and make sure that I'm in a good spot."
Tij (6-foot, 186 pounds), who can play center and wing, was promoted to an A rating on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary players to watch list last month and is a potential first-round candidate in the 2024 draft. He was listed as a B-rated skater in October.
"He certainly shows some similarities to his dad; similar size and build and he has a heavy shot with a quick release like his dad," said John Williams of NHL Central Scouting. "It's always interesting to watch these second-generation players to see how they compare with their fathers. Tij is one that plays and looks similar to his dad on the ice."
Iginla leads the Rockets with 23 goals, six power-play goals and 136 shots on goal and is second with 37 points in 30 games. The left-handed shot was traded to Kelowna by Seattle in exchange for two draft picks and forward Grady Lenton on June 7.
He's recognized as a goal-scorer with a big shot and good hands around the cage. His compete level and hockey sense are also big attributes of his game.
"I think I have good edges and one of the strengths to my game right now is my goal-scoring ability," Tij said. "I just put the puck in the net and make the most out of my chances. I think I have good scoring touch around the net."
Williams said Iginla's performance at the 2022 Under-17 Hockey Challenge was a big moment for him as he had seven points (two goals, five assists) in seven games to held Canada Red to a silver medal.
"Last year, he was in Seattle on an older team that went to the Memorial Cup, so he didn't see a lot of ice time," Williams said. "The Under-17 was a pretty good indication as to where his game might go. He started out lower in the lineup but earned more ice time as the event progressed."
Tij also has two hockey-playing siblings: sister Jade Iginla, 19, a sophomore forward at Brown University, and brother Joe Iginla, 15, a forward chosen No. 12 by Edmonton in the 2023 WHL bantam draft.
Iginla has a good idea what it will take to earn a chance to play in the NHL someday.
"You got to be able to skate. The game is really fast and if you can't skate, you're going to be spending more energy getting to where you need to be," he said. "The NHL has the best players in the world and the strongest players, so you got to be strong and powerful. I think another big one would be smarts and being able to think it. The game is fast, so you got to be able to have a great processor to be able to think ahead and anticipate. I think those are kind of three big things that you want to have if you want to play in the NHL."
PROSPECTS ON THE RADAR (listed alphabetically)
Zeev Buium, D, University of Denver (NCAA): Buium (6-0, 183) leads all Denver defensemen and ranks third overall with 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) in 18 games as a freshman. The left-handed shot received an A rating on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary players to watch list for the 2024 NHL Draft. He's the son of Israeli immigrants who married in Israel after serving in the army before moving to Los Angeles. Buium was invited to USA Hockey's world junior selection camp this week for possible inclusion on the U.S. National Junior Team competing in the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship in Sweden from Dec. 26-Jan. 5.
"He wants to win, wants to make an impact, night in and night out," Denver coach and U.S. National Junior Team coach David Carle said. "He's very teachable, especially without the puck. His puck game fits well within our system and how we play the puck possession style in Denver."
