New Jersey Devils Should Not Trade Blake Coleman
By Jon Bonczyk
Blake Coleman is one of the few bright spots the New Jersey Devils have had in the past few years. Bursting onto the scene in 2017-18 as a very solid 3rd and 4th liner and a very good penalty killer, we look just two and a half seasons later and he is one of the most complete all around players the Devils have. Blake Coleman has turned himself into a cornerstone player, and making him irreplaceable in many ways.
At first we all thought Blake would top out as a very strong 3rd liner with elite penalty killing skills. Has now taken his aggressiveness to the rest of his game and made him a threat anytime he is on the ice. The way he plays is really hard to replace with just one player. Not many guys can kill penalties, score shorthanded and score 5 on 5 in the dirty areas.
This season Blake Coleman is currently tied with Kyle Palmieri for 1st on the Devils with 21 goals. He is having himself the best season of his career, while growing offensively and shutting down the opposition on the penalty kill. You always know when Blake Coleman is on the ice because he gives 110% every shift and it shows in his play. Slotted on the 2nd line most of the season with Travis Zajac and Nikita Guzev, arguably our most consistent line this year.
Blake Coleman’s effort has not gone unnoticed to date, becoming a fan favorite amongst many for his gritty play on both ends of the ice. Aside from his offensive touch and defensive prowess, he is one of the more physical players the Devils have to offer and is not afraid to lay a hit on anybody. That cannot be forgotten, because this Devils team is not exactly the most aggressive when it comes to being physical with the opposition.
All in all , trading Blake Coleman would not be the end of the world. It definitely would not sit right without a lot of people. Unless a pending trade has assets coming back that improve the team in the coming years, there is no point to let him go. Management should build around the likes of Blake Coleman, Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, and Kyle Palmieri because they are the set and stone forwards we should be trying to build around. Trading guys who have found a home here does not make it any more attractive to guys hitting Free Agency come July. Hometown players who deserve to stay, simply should not be sent anywhere for hit or miss draft picks.
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This team should continue its slow trend upward not by trading Blake Coleman, but guys who are on the end of their contracts and or career to pursue Lord Stanley’s Cup. Taking a couple of steps forward by relieving cap in the trade of Andy Greene to the Islanders, should not be offset by trading a very good player in Blake Coleman. Keeping him would enhance our chance to content within the next couple of years, and yes that may be a stretch. But trading him would be a full implode of this current roster, and that is simply not the answer.
Cannot expect anything the way we want it to be done with the way things have been going for this franchise but trading Blake Coleman would not help the case. This franchise needs to build around its cornerstones and trade the stragglers. A successful team is built around long tenured players and a young core. The New Jersey Devils have youth, a couple cornerstones but are clearly outmatched when it comes to being a complete team. That is what needs to be addressed now and in the future.