The Calgary Flames and Minnesota Wild have made a big trade involving some notable names.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Flames have traded forward Blake Coleman and defenseman Olli Maatta to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman Jake Middleton, a 2029 second-round pick, a 2028 third-round pick, and a 2028 fourth-round pick. Friedman also shared that the Flames are retaining half of Coleman’s $4.9 million cap hit.
Coleman had been the subject of trade rumors for multiple seasons and has now found his new home with the Wild. He will give Minnesota a hard-nosed forward who also produces solid secondary offensive production and plays a solid defensive game.
The Wild have also landed a solid veteran defenseman in Maatta who should fit nicely on their blueline.
With Middleton, the Flames have brought in a very tough defenseman who kills penalties and is not afraid to throw the body. He should fit on the Flames’ roster and will be a good veteran blueliner for their younger players to have around.
Coleman Should Be a Perfect Fit on the Wild’s Roster
When looking at the Wild’s current roster, it is clear that Coleman should be a great fit. With the Wild having the goal of winning the Stanley Cup, bringing in a player who has won it twice simply makes sense for Minnesota.
Coleman will now provide the Wild’s top nine with a real boost after being acquired. The veteran winger could slot very nicely on their third line with Michael McCarron and Bobby Brink. However, due to his ability to play on both wings and center, he also should be a candidate to play in Minnesota’s top six if needed. Furthermore, due to his strong all-around play, he should see time on the Wild’s power play and penalty kill.
Coleman is entering the final season of his six-year, $29.4 million contract. In 69 games last season with Calgary, he posted 20 goals, 35 points, and 152 hits.
Flames Boost Their Blueline by Trading for Middleton
While the Flames’ forward group will certainly miss Coleman, they have provided their blueline with a nice upgrade after acquiring Middleton. The 6-foot-3 blueliner is now easily one of their top left-shot defensemen, and he should have a big role on their roster because of it.
When looking at the Flames’ current defensive group, Middleton could slot very nicely on their second pairing with young defenseman Simon Nemec. Pairing Nemec with a steady stay-at-home defenseman like Middleton would allow the former New Jersey Devils top prospect to take more chances offensively.
Middleton will be more than a rental for the Flames, assuming Calgary is not planning to flip him somewhere else. This is because the veteran defenseman has a $4.35 million cap hit until the end of the 2028-29 season. In 75 games last season for the Wild, he recorded two goals, 14 assists, 16 points, 76 penalty minutes, and 87 hits.
Maatta Could Be Sneaky Good Addition for Wild
While Maatta is the smallest name out of the players in this trade, he has the potential to be a good addition to the Wild’s roster. The 31-year-old is a steady two-way defenseman who should work well on their bottom pairing and on their power play.
Maatta also notably ended this season on a high note after being traded to Calgary by the Utah Mammoth. In 21 games with the Flames following the move, he had two goals and 14 points. If he keeps these kinds of numbers up next season in Minnesota, he could be a very strong pickup.
Flames Trade $29.4M Forward to Wild in Big Multi-Player Deal