Flames have a difficult decision to make on Blake Coleman

So much for Blake Coleman’s contract with the Calgary Flames being a questionable one.

Coleman’s first two seasons with the Flames weren’t horrible, but they felt underwhelming after he was brought into town on a six-year, $29.4 million deal. While he wasn’t known for being an offensively elite player, his 34 goals and 71 points in a combined 163 games felt somewhat disappointing, given his $4.9 million cap hit.

Before the 2023-24 season began, Coleman was included on our list of four Flames players who were making too much money based on their production. Through 43 games, that take is looking flat-out wrong.

Coleman has been the Flames’ best skater this season, and it hasn’t been particularly close. Both his 19 goals and 37 points lead the team. Even more impressive is that 29 of those points come at even strength, while six have come shorthanded. He is producing these numbers despite seeing very limited time on the man advantage.

All of a sudden, Coleman’s $4.9 million cap hit has gone from a burden to a bargain, though there is reason to doubt that this newfound production will continue. The 32-year-old has never surpassed the 22-goal mark in a season, nor 38 points, numbers he is in line to run over. So, the question becomes, should the Flames look to move him?

On the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs, the Flames are expected to sell in order to help retool their roster for the future. Moving Coleman to a playoff team would give them a future asset or two and remove a significant contract off the books. This would be huge for the Flames if Coleman were indeed to regress back to the player he has been throughout the majority of his career.

On the other side, Coleman, though not wearing a letter on his jersey, has turned into a great leader for this Flames group. You know what you are getting from him every time he steps on the ice, which sets a great example for the younger players on this roster. He also brings Stanley Cup winning experience which benefits the entire group as a whole.

This is going to be a difficult decision for general manager Craig Conroy and his staff to make, but thankfully, they have some time to contemplate. The trade deadline isn’t until March 8th, allowing them to continue weighing the pros and cons of dealing Coleman. For now, fans will have to sit back and wait.

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