Blake Coleman
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Birthday:
1991-11-28 |
Position:
C |
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Eligible for draft:
2009 |
Shoots:
Left |
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Drafted:
2011 |
Height:
5-10 |
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Acquired:
3rd round (75th overall), 2011 |
Weight:
198 lbs. |
Prospect Talent Score
Probability of Success
- C
History
2008-09: Blake Coleman played alongside Minnesota Wild 2009 draft pick Anthony Hamburg on the Dallas Stars midget major U-18 squad. Coleman led the team with 21 goals and also had 24 assists while racking up 120 PMs. Coleman was selected by the Tri-City Storm in the 2nd round (14th overall) of the 2009 USHL Entry Draft.
2009-10: Coleman started his rookie USHL season with the Tri-City Storm, appearing in 22 games, before being traded to Indiana and finishing the season with the Ice. In 58 games between the two clubs, he scored 10 goals with 18 assists while accumulating 56 PMs and had a -10 plus/minus rating. In nine playoff games for Indiana, he had 2 assists and 13 PMs with an even plus/minus. The Ice defeated Cedar Rapids in a first-round series before being swept in four games by eventual Clark Cup-champion Green Bay in the second round. Coleman committed to playing college hockey at Miami University in 2011-12.
2010-11: Coleman had a breakout year centering import forward Daniil Tarasov and Bruins prospect Brian Ferlin for Indiana on what was the USHL's top scoring line. In 59 games, he scored 34 goals (11 on the power play) with 58 assists and was +52. Coleman was named USHL Player of the Year for his efforts. In addition to his offensive exploits, Coleman accumulated 72 PMs. In five playoff games, he scored 2 goals (both on the power play) with 2 assists and was -1 with 10 PMs. After winning a two-game, preliminary round series, the Ice were swept by Green Bay in a best-of-five second round series. Coleman was ranked 198th amongst North American skaters in Central Scouting's final rankings and was selected by the Devils in the 3rd round (75th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft.
2011-12: Coleman made a successful jump from the USHL to college hockey – skating in 39 games for Miami University as a freshman. His 12 goals were second only to leading scorer Reilly Smith (DAL) for the Redhawks. Primarily Miami's third center behind senior Trent Vogelhuber (CBJ) and fellow freshman Austin Czarnik, he was plus-13 with 11 assists and had 56 penalty minutes. Miami finished fourth in the CCHA and won ten straight before stumbling against Western Michigan in the CCHA tournament semifinals. Miami won the league's third place game and garnered an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.
Talent Analysis
Coleman’s can play both center and wing, but his style and physical make-up seem to translate better to the wing, which is likely where his future lies as a pro. His game is all about grit, effort and tenacity, and that is how a lot of his offense is generated. His finesse skills, skating and play improved a lot over his time in the USHL, and carried over to his freshman season with the Redhawks. The improvement in those areas combined with his other skills has turned him into an effective player. His defensive play still needs some work, but that is an area that he can improve in as he develops in college.
Future
Coleman’s mix of energy, grit and skill make him one of the more viable forward prospects in a Devils organization that is quite thin up-front. He made a relatively quick adjustment to the NCAA after leading the USHL in scoring the year prior and will look to build upon that as he goes into his sophomore season at the University of Mami-Ohio. He profiles as a second/third line tweener type long-term.
