Flames to rotate important role following Elias Lindholm's departure

Following the trade that sent Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks, the Calgary Flames now have a vacancy for one of their assistant captain roles.

Lindholm, who was moved in exchange for Andrei Kuzmenko and several other pieces, was named an assistant captain prior to the 2022-23 season, and continued to hold onto that role until he was traded. With him gone, the Flames have three players wearing an “A”: Jonathan Huberdeau, Chris Tanev, and Rasmus Andersson. They will continue to have four for the remainder of the season, however, albeit in a rather non-conventional way.

For the final 29 games of the Flames’ regular season, they will be rotating their fourth “A” through a few different players. For tonight, Blake Coleman, who is in his third season with the Flames, will receive the honour.

Having Coleman in the role makes plenty of sense for several reasons. He is an established veteran, having played in 517 career games. He also provides the team with winning experience, having been a part of two Stanley Cup championships with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021.

Perhaps the best reason of all is that Coleman has been the Flames’ most consistent forward all season long. His 21 goals lead the team, while his 43 points are second to only Nazem Kadri. It has been quite the season for the 32-year-old, given that he is just one goal shy of his career high, while already having set a new career high in points.

Other potential candidates to wear a letter for the remainder of the season are Kadri, MacKenzie Weegar, and Andrew Mangiapane. Noah Hanifin would also make for a strong candidate, though his uncertain future makes it unlikely.

Tonight’s game will see the Flames take on the San Jose Sharks at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The Flames will be looking to get back into the win column after suffering a loss to the New York Rangers on Monday. With a win, they could find themselves just one point out of a playoff position. Puck drop is set for 7 pm MT.

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