The Calgary Flames said goodbye to a fan favourite on Thursday when they made a multi-player swap with the Minnesota Wild that included the likes of Blake Coleman and Olli Määttä. Here is the deal in its totality:
To Minnesota
RW Blake Coleman (50% salary retained)
D Olli Määttä
To Calgary
D Jake Middleton
Second round pick in 2029
Third round pick in 2027
Fourth round pick in 2028
The initial response? Most fans are arguing that Flames general manager Craig Conroy didn’t get enough in terms of futures. Many would argue that Calgary should have gotten a first round pick for a player of Coleman’s value at a retained cap hit of $2,450,000 for the final leg of a six-year deal signed back in 2021.
While that’s a valid thought process, the deal is quietly great value for both sides. Let’s break down the parts.
The Return
In his prime at the age of 30, Jake Middleton is a physical left-side defenceman. A presence on the back end has been something that the Flames have sorely missed since the departure of Erik Gudbranson in the summer of 2022.
Weighing in at six-foot-three and 219 pounds, Middleton is set to fill in as policeman to a team carrying youngsters such as Zayne Parekh, Matvei Gridin, Matthew Coronato, Hunter Brzustewicz, and the consistently pummeled Connor Zary.
A hard truth is that opposing teams game plan around physically dominating a select few younger Calgary players. Parekh and Zary occupy the top of that list. Gridin will be there once teams catch on to how dangerous he is with the puck.
Does Middleton fix that issue? Not entirely; those players need to learn to protect themselves, but he certainly serves as a consequence to game-planning around physical dominance.
“He’s a tough guy and he is a great teammate,” Conroy told Pat Steinberg of the Fan 960 following the announcement of the deal. “He keeps the flies off, we would say, during games. He had six fights this year. It’s not like he has to. People know who he is. If he says, “hey, don’t hit him again or I’m coming.””
Craig continued elaborating on the value of having a player on the team that is willing to have a word with the opposition.
“You ask any player that played in the NHL, if they’d like to have someone with that presence, 100% yes. Everyone feels better. You feel better on the ice and it calms things down quickly.”
With local sheriff Ryan Lomberg leaving town, the Flames are not only addressing a need; they’re upgrading. Let’s use Jeremy Lauzon as the controlled variable and see how both Lomberg and Middleton looked against him last season
Lomberg:
Middleton:
So, the Flames get tougher. They’re still not one of the meaner teams in the NHL, but they took a step in the right direction on Thursday.
The Picks
No first round pick, but insulation for the next three drafts. We saw on Saturday with a trade-up to #42 to get goaltender Tobias Trejbal, Conroy is willing to move out an extra pick or two in order to get the guy that his scouting staff is targeting. A second, third and a fourth offer a break from the rigidity of waiting for their next pick.
Or more swings at the piñata. Never a bad thing.
The Price
Blake Coleman
In his five seasons with the Flames, the Texas Tiger made a case for Calgary’s best forward on any given night. He may not have put up the points that a Nazem Kadri or a Tyler Toffoli, but he brought a two-way game that neither of those forwards could provide.
Was he worth more than a second, a third and a fourth at a retained salary of $2,450,000? Yes, he probably was. Conroy
“I don’t think really waiting was an option,” said Conroy. “Because Blake, when we talked, it was a lot on him. It is a lot when you’re in trade rumors all day, so we wanted to do something before September. Or sign him long term.”
Rather than let the situation drag on, Conroy pulled the trigger and secured a bit of peace of mind for his departing player.
“It was very stressful for him, he told me.”
Olli Määttä
It has to be hard to complain if you’re Olli Määttä.
Stuck on the outside with a single assist in 22 games with Utah last season, Määttä was mercifully included in the MacKenzie Weegar blockbuster.
The Jyväskylä, Finland product was thrust into top pairing minutes with the green light to jump at any and every puck he wanted to compete for.
The result was two goals and 12 assists in 21 games—or a 54-point pace. A complete career refresh.
When the Conroy and the Flames acquired Simon Nemec in late June, it appeared that Määttä was once again the odd man out on a packed blue line—then he gets traded to Minnesota.
There is a bit of uncertainty with his new team.
“they’re in a situation where if you go look at their cap right now, they’re up against it.” Said Conroy. “But I don’t think Bill’s done.”
“I think he’s got other stuff coming, from what it sounds like. So, it’s going to be very tight for him.”
Määttä may be on the move again shortly. The 31-year-old carries a $3,500,000 annual cap hit for two more seasons and has a five-team no trade list included as a term in his contract.
As a Whole
What did Conroy achieve in shipping out Blake Coleman and Olli Määttä on Thursday morning?
He opened up space in the lineup. He got two valued veterans out of uncomfortable trade speculation situations. He brought in an answer to his younger players being targeted as well as a solid penalty killing presence.
Oh, and a few extra draft picks certainly don’t hurt.
Statistics courtesy of Elite Prospects, and the National Hockey League.
Keep Reading:
Neufeld’s Notes: Flames Stir Controversy at 2026 Entry Draft
Flames Acquire Simon Nemec: Breaking Down the Risk
Five Flames ’27 UFAs That May Be Moving Next Season
Flames Affiliate to Bruins First Pairing: The Rise of Jonathan Aspirot
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