Fans Debate Whether Blake Coleman Could Be the Perfect Fit for the Maple Leafs
Photo credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
David Pagnotta recently reported that Blake Coleman may be on the trade block, and one Maple Leafs fan believes the team is heavily interested in bringing him in.
Stuck in the basement of the NHL, the Calgary Flames are potentially going to be selling off their assets if things don't improve, and we've heard lots of talk about players like Nazem Kadri and Rasmus Andersson potentially on the block.
Another name that popped up recently was Blake Coleman, as NHL Insider David Pagnotta mentioned on the Hello Hockey podcast, the Flames may be willing to deal him as there's a lot of interest:
He's a player that a lot of these contending teams are also gonna look at.
It makes sense given that Coleman is a reliable 15-20 goal scorer who hits like a madman and plays solid defense; a perfect candidate for contenders.
Why Blake Coleman Checks the Right Boxes for Toronto
One of those contenders are the Toronto Maple Leafs according to one inside source, and it would bring the perfect compliment to a team desperate to add a top-six player.
Coleman can play anywhere in the lineup, and the physicality and speed he provides would go great alongside John Tavares and William Nylander/Bobby McMann, while allowing Matthew Knies to head back up to the top line.
Tavares and Nylander work best with a scrappy player alongside them who can feed them the puck and fight in the grittier areas with a relentless forecheck.
That fits Coleman to a tee, or if the team wanted to give Auston Matthews a bit of a flashback, could fit as this version of Zach Hyman; a guy who will crash the net, cause havoc for opponents and let Auston Matthews do his thing.
Leafs Fans Split on Whether He's Worth the Gamble
Also a positive is that he is not that expensive at only $4.9-million for the next two seasons, and while he does have a 10-team approved trade list, there's a chance the Maple Leafs are on there and he's open to a move elsewhere.
Coleman, 33, has six points in 10 games with the Flames this season (5 goals, 1 assist) and is only two seasons removed from a breakout 54-point season (30 goals, 24 assists).
A two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Lightning, Coleman also has 31 points in 65 playoff games in addition to 268 hits; he's the perfect piece that could add not only a proven winner but someone who has actual playoff production under his belt.
Hard to know what Toronto would need to give up, and it highly depends if they wish to do business with their old GM, but if the Maple Leafs really want to add a player who elevate them; they should do what they can for Blake Coleman.
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