Jarome Iginla is heading back to the Western Conference, this time to play for the Colorado Avalanche on a three-year contract worth $16 million, according to multiple media reports. Iginla scored 30 goals and had 61 points last season when he was on a one-year contract with the Boston Bruins

PHOTO CREDIT - NHL.com

Denver - July 1, 2014 - Jarome Iginla is heading back to the Western Conference, this time to play for the Colorado Avalanche on a three-year contract worth $16 million, according to multiple media reports.

Iginla scored 30 goals and had 61 points last season when he was on a one-year contract with the Boston Bruins. Iginla and the Bruins were hopeful of continuing the relationship, but Boston was unable to meet his contract demands because of its salary-cap constraints.

The Bruins have approximately $1.64 million in salary-cap space, according to CapGeek.com.

Iginla played the first 16-plus seasons of his NHL career in the Western Conference with the Calgary Flames before he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins late in the 2012-13 season.

Colorado wasn't able to re-sign center Paul Stastny, who signed a four-year contract with the St. Louis Blues. It's possible now that Calder Trophy-winner Nathan MacKinnon moves from wing to center to take over Stastny's spot and Iginla fills the top-six role MacKinnon had occupied.

Iginla has 560 goals and 1,167 points in 1,310 games. He has scored 30 or more goals in 12 straight full NHL seasons. He had a combined 14 goals with the Flames and Penguins in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season.