5 Free Agent Forwards To Target Not Named Gabriel Landeskog

Blake Coleman

Let’s start with the obvious. The New Jersey Devils would love to reunite with the forward they turned into Shakir Mukhamadullin and Nolan Foote. The Devils should still love the return they got for Coleman, and weirdly, they probably have a better chance to re-sign Coleman now than they would if they never traded him.

However, there are legitimate rumors saying the Devils are very much in the Blake Coleman sweepstakes. Coleman proved himself to be a very versatile forward in Tampa, and he can actually play in the top six in the right situation.

Coleman was third on the Lightning in 5v5 CorsiFor%. Third on the Lightning! He was on the ice for one goal against every 27 minutes at 5v5. To compare that to the Devils, Pavel Zacha was on the ice for a goal against every 16 minutes. Yegor Sharangovich was on the ice for a goal against every 21 minutes. Coleman was able to shut down opposing lineups while also generating good offense.

Coleman was on the ice for 135 high-danger chances. The only Devils player who was on the ice for more was Damon Severson, and he played 300 more minutes than Coleman. He was a clutch player who made big plays when it matters. Even when he made the biggest mistake of his life, giving away the puck in overtime of the Stanley Cup Semi-Final directly leading to a goal, he came right back and made an impact.

The Devils need a player who is going to put it all on the line for a long time. Is Coleman worth $5 million? That seems to be the price to play ball, and the expectations completely change when the price point hits this kind of market value. His last deal was way under value, so he’s looking to cash in now. The Devils should at least consider it.