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New Jersey Devils Sign Blake Coleman To Three-Year Deal

By Nick Villano|
NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 16: Blake Coleman #20 of the New Jersey Devils celebrates his empty net goal at 19:02 of the third period against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Prudential Center on April 16, 2018 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Lightning 5-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 16: Blake Coleman #20 of the New Jersey Devils celebrates his empty net goal at 19:02 of the third period against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Prudential Center on April 16, 2018 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Lightning 5-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

The New Jersey Devils avoided arbitration with one of their rookie sensations. The team came to an agreement for Blake Coleman on a three-year deal.

Blake Coleman is not going anywhere. Not that it was ever in doubt, but the New Jersey Devils avoided the arduous situation that would come with arbitration with their 26-year-old forward.

Coleman will get $1.8 million dollars per season on a three-year deal. That’s honestly more money than I expected Coleman to get, but it’s not like the Devils don’t have the money to spend. If it cost the Devils an extra $300,000 to avoid arbitration with one of the hearts and souls of the team, it’s well worth it.

Coleman will play a very important role for the Devils moving forward. Coleman could be anywhere from on Brian Boyle‘s wing to possibly a second-line center. He has the versatility to fit all roles. He scored 13 goals with 12 assists while playing 79 games this season.

Coleman was a monster on the penalty kill. He was a major reason why the Devils ranked in the top ten in the NHL in stopping penalties from turning into goals. In fact, he sometimes turned penalties into goals for the Devils. He scored three shorthanded goals over the season. Only four players in all of the NHL scored more.

In the Devils five-game series with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the playoffs, he scored two goals. He was able to get under the Lightning’s vaulted defense and find himself in the right positions. He was doing that all season long.

It will be interesting to see Coleman play a full season with Stefan Noesen, the fellow Texas native who he had immense chemistry with towards the end of the season. Those two could provide a great one-two punch in the bottom six.

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There are some risks with this deal. Coleman was very good last season, but we’ve seen what happens with late bloomers before. The Devils brought back the entire fourth line that carried the team to the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals. Ryan Carter, Stephen Gionta and Steve Bernier showed flashes after that, but never played to that same expectations.

Carter is still a 26 year old rookie. He took a long time to make it to the NHL. He went to Miami (OH) University. There, he only scored a point per game once in his four-year career.

However, that’s not what Ray Shero is paying Coleman for. Whatever goals he can score will be a bonus. As Chris Ryan chronicles, he’s here to be a big brother to Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt. He is here to provide an on-the-ice spark when things aren’t going well. His drive and determination will get guys through a rough stretch. This deal won’t ever end with regret. He’s getting paid more than a fair amount, and now he’s locked in for the next three years. Shero signed away two years of Coleman’s UFA years. This is a deal that should be celebrated.

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