Why Blake Coleman’s time with the Flames has likely reached its end originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Blake Coleman has been a reliable veteran for the Calgary Flames.

Advertisement

It sure seems like his time with the Flames might be just about over, though. A trade looms just around the corner.

Coleman was already on the trade block in March, although he didn’t move before the deadline.

Now heading into the offseason, Coleman is again a trade candidate. He ranks 13th on The Athletic’s trade board put together by Chris Johnston.

Don’t be surprised if Coleman is moved elsewhere, potentially to a contender that strongly remembers what he did for the Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning in his time there.

MORE: Mitch Marner is making the Maple Leafs miserable

Advertisement

Why Blake Coleman is going to get traded

The Flames have already traded the other obvious candidates.

Rasmus Andersson, MacKenzie Weegar and Nazem Kadri were all dealt in March. That just leaves Coleman among obvious veteran moves.

“Coleman is another player who attracted interest ahead of the trade deadline that could still be moved this summer,” Johnston writes. “The rebuild is on in Calgary — even if they’re not officially using the ‘R’ word — after Rasmus Andersson (Vegas Golden Knights), MacKenzie Weegar (Utah Mammoth) and Nazem Kadri (Colorado Avalanche) were dealt in-season, and Coleman has one year left on his existing deal. He’s an excellent skater and a defensively sound winger who usually sees the puck headed in the right direction when he’s on the ice. Coleman is also a 20-goal scorer who has been dangerous on the penalty kill over the years and ideally slots in on the third line of a top team, as he did for the Tampa Bay Lightning while winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021.”

Advertisement

It really doesn’t benefit the Flames a ton to keep Coleman.

Sure, he may provide a solid locker room presence. But that’s probably not worth it relative to whatever the Flames could get in return, along with the chance for younger players to step into bigger roles.

As long as Calgary isn’t asking too much, Coleman likely will start the next season elsewhere.

More NHL news: