The Calgary Flames made it clear they are not afraid to trade their veterans. Nazem Kadri and Mackenzie Weegar found new teams ahead of the trade deadline, and Rasmus Andersson was traded to Vegas as a pending UFA. Leading up to the trade deadline, a lot was floating around about Blake Coleman. Ultimately, no one brought what Craig Conroy was looking for to the table. With the rebuild in full swing, would it make more sense for the Flames to trade Coleman this upcoming offseason or play a game of chance waiting until the deadline?
Come Fall, Coleman will be entering the final year of his six-year contract. He is wrapping up the 2025–26 season with 20+ goals and is two seasons removed from a 30-goal campaign. We know Coleman is a locker room guy. A winner, gritty, relentless and a leader. Coleman possesses the intangibles that coaches love and often overpay for in a veteran, while still making consistent offensive contributions.
When would it make the most sense to move him?
Craig Conroy worked the phones leading up to the deadline. The Flames are moving forward with their rebuild. While they have pieces in Zayne Parekh and Dustin Wolf in the NHL, what is coming down the road? Will Cole Reschny and Cullen Potter be NHL-ready by the time this team is settled into Scotia Place? Can they rely on this youth movement to keep them in a position to collect higher draft picks?
Moving Blake Coleman ahead of the season allows you to tackle roster construction. The Flames have a lot of forwards and not enough space. You’re often left pondering what if they didn’t sign Yegor Sharangovich to a five-year extension. What if Connor Zary didn’t have back-to-back knee injuries? Would the Flames make a stab at Shane Wright if they didn’t have Morgan Frost under contract? Really, you can open more than one can of worms if you let yourself go down that rabbit hole.
So, what if they trade him over the summer?
You immediately see the return of a successful season for the 34-year-old. There is no holding your breath for preseason or in-season injuries. Trading him ahead of the season allows you to tinker with roster construction. You have the flexibility to move your current players around while maybe introducing one of your prospects, like Aydar Suniev, to a consistent NHL role.
Why wait until the deadline?
You’re running the risk of an unpredictable market. What are you going to do if there aren’t competitive offers you saw over the summer? He’s a rental, but even more so come the deadline. You’re walking a fine line of I’ll get what I want when I want or I’ll take what I can get.
What if you sold high in the summer and avoided the risk of a down year?
Do you really want to wait until the 11th hour?
You could make an argument for both sides. Waiting until the season could benefit the Flames. Maybe he rallies that locker room of kids after a tough year. He gets them excited about hockey again and reminds them of what they’re out there for. Coleman could come in and not miss a beat. He doesn’t appear to look like a 34-year-old out on the ice. There is still gas left in the tank, and he is showing consistency from seasons prior. There is a level of attractiveness that comes with waiting. Someone may be hungry enough to overpay for a rental. There is always going to be that option. Maybe it’s not even an overpay. Maybe the season is shaping up differently than expected, and a team decides to take a leap of faith and be buyers at the deadline for a playoff run.
The unspoken rule of not speaking about injuries
Anytime a player takes a shift, they run the risk of an injury that impacts the remainder of their season or even career. Samuel Honzek suffered a shoulder injury in November and missed the remainder of the 2025–26 season and the Olympics. Look at Jonathan Huberdeau, who had hip resurfacing surgery. The Flames medical staff allowed him to play through an injury that ultimately led to a truly career-altering surgery… Are these risks you are willing to take while assets are on the table?
The verdict is in
There are too many variables for me to confidently say, “wait until the deadline.” I want the Flames to walk into next season after a nice, long summer break with a clean slate. There won’t be trade rumours dangling over their heads like carrots. It won’t be a topic of conversation at every media availability. Let’s get ourselves together and move forward.
Coleman has been a blast to watch in Calgary. He chose Calgary after winning two Stanley Cups. He’s raised his family there. Coleman has given it his all, and I truly believe he will be a player you have to drag to retirement. He will be out on the ice until his arm falls off.