Canadiens’ perfect trade offer for Flames’ Blake Coleman

It has been a stellar season for the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens are 27-15-7 on the year, placing them in third place in the Atlantic Division. They are also just one point behind the Tampa Bay Lightning and Detroit Red Wings for the top spot in the division, and three points behind the Carolina Hurricanes for the best record in the conference. This is going to lead the Canadiens to be buyers at the trade deadline, and they need to go after Blake Coleman from the Calgary Flames.

There has been a rumored interest of the Canadiens acquiring Coleman from the Flames.  The 34-year old forward was the 75th overall selection of the 2011 NHL Draft by the New Jersey Devils. After playing four years with Miami (OH), he then joined the Albany Devils of the AHL. He broke into the NHL in 2016-17 with the Devils before being traded during the 2019-20 season to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Coleman signed with the Flames in the summer of 2021, where he has been a consistent producer. In his four full seasons with the team, he has scored 33 or more points in each of them, including a 2023-24 campaign in which he had 30 goals and 24 assists. He is currently on pace for 36 points for the 2025-26 season.

Regardless, the Flames are struggling this season. They are 21-23-4 this season, which places them in seventh in the Pacific Division, and also five points out from a playoff spot, with four other teams in between them and the San Jose Sharks. This could lead the Flames to be selling at the trade deadline. If that is the case, Coleman is going to be sought after, and the Canadiens need to come up with the perfect offer.

Why add Blake Coleman?

Montreal needs middle-six help at forward. This was a need heading into the season, and has been exacerbated by injuries. Patrik Laine has played in just five games this year, but could be back by the Olympic break. Meanwhile, Alex Newhook is out with a fractured ankle, while Kirby Dach is still out of the lineup as well.

The top-scoring forwards for the team come from the top line. Nick Suzuki leads the team with 54 points, while Cole Caufield leads the team in goals with 24, and is third on the team with 48 points, but second among forwards. The top line is rounded out by Alexandre Texier, who was acquired from the St. Louis Blues earlier this season. He has played in 27 games with 16 points with the franchise.

On the second line, Ivan Demidov and Juraj Slafkovsky both have 40-plus points, but it is Oliver Kapanen, rounding out the line, who has just 27 points. Still, the third line sees a major drop off in point production. Brendan Gallagher leads the third line in points, with just 18. Bringing in a player such as Coleman would help the middle-six immensely.

The Canadiens could move Demidov or Slafkovsky to the top line, playing Coleman or Texier on the second line, and the other on the third. Another option is he could plug into the third line and immediately give them a major point-producing threat on the line. Beyond just the production, at just $4.9 million, he comes in with a manageable salary for the Canadiens, who are just over $1 million away from hitting the salary cap.

Most importantly, he brings playoff experience to a young team. The Canadiens got a taste of the playoffs in 2024-25, but lost in the first round to the Capitals in five games. Coleman brings with him playoff success. He was part of the 2020 and 2021 Lightning teams that won the Stanley Cup and has played in 65 career playoff games. Coleman would be a perfect fit, but he is not going to come cheap.

What is the perfect offer? 

The Canadiens traded for Phillip Danault earlier this season, sending a second-round pick in exchange for the forward. The Flames are going to be asking for more than that for their forward. Not only does Coleman have a team-friendly cap hit, but he also has another year in his contract, making this not just a rental for Montreal. Adding in his playoff performance and experience, plus his leadership, the Canadiens are going to need to pay up to get the forward.

In the 2021-22 season, the Flames were trying to make a playoff run. The Canadiens were a struggling team, sitting in last place, but they had Tyler Toffoli, who was second on the team in scoring, and would add middle-six scoring help for the Flames. He was traded to the Flames in exchange for a first-round pick (that was top-ten protected), along with a fifth-round pick, Tyler Pitlick, and prospect Emil Heineman.

The parallels between the two situations are uncanny, and the trade of Toffoli to the Flames should be the starting point for a perfect trade, this time going the other direction. The Canadiens have plenty of draft capital. The only pick they are missing over the next three drafts is a 2026 fifth-round pick, but they have a fourth-round pick in 2026 from the New Jersey Devils, plus a seventh-rounder from the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Canadiens can open up with a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. They will also send a prospect. The Flames just traded Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights. The Golden Knights gave up a first-round pick in 2027, a second pick in 2027 that becomes a first if Vegas wins the Cup, and prospect Abram Weibe.

Montreal can offer its 2026 first-round pick, a later-round pick, plus a prospect. One option is Olvier Kapanen. He has played in all 49 games for Montreal this year, scoring 16 goals and adding 11 assists. He is still just 22 years old and showing he can be a quality NHL player. If the Canadiens do not want to part with Kapanen, other options would be Owen Beck and Joshua Roy.

Beck has played 15 games at the NHL level this season and has played 13 games in the past, coming away with a goal and an assist. Still, he has been great at the AHL level, and the former second-round pick is continuing to improve. Meanwhile, Roy has upside, but has yet to show he is ready for the NHL. He does have 38 games of NHL experience, with six goals and five assists. Also, at just 22-years old, he has the upside to be a solid player in the future.

Overall, the combination of a first-round pick, a late pick, and a prospect should be enough for the deal to get over the finish line. The Flames are going to sell; now it is up to the Canadiens to make the perfect offer.

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