Blake Coleman

Blake Coleman (born November 28, 1991), nicknamed "Pickles", is an American professional ice hockey forward for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Coleman was born on November 28, 1991, in Plano, Texas to parents Sandy and Rusty.

He was born into an athletic family; his father played football at the University of Oklahoma and his sister Brooke played volleyball at Ohio University.

His grandmother sparked his interest in ice hockey and she took him to Dallas Stars games as a toddler.

Coleman eventually learned to skate at the age of five at a rink in Irving, Texas before one opened in Plano.

Growing up in Texas, Coleman often played with children above his age group due to a lack of interest in the sport.

This was also the most points scored in a USHL season since 1999-2000 and the first player to surpass 90 points since 2001–02.

His 29 multi-point games and +52 plus-minus rating were also the highest rating on record since the USHL became Tier I in 2002.

Coleman also received the USHL's Player and Forward of the Year award and the Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year Award.

He was also selected for the USHL's First All-Star Team.

Coleman was recruited by Derek Lalonde to join the University of Denver's men's ice hockey team but he had already committed to Miami University.

As a youth, he played in the 2004 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Dallas Alliance minor ice hockey team.

While in middle school, Coleman was recruited to attend a Detroit-based Catholic school and play for the Belle Tire 16U AAA team in the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League (T1EHL).

During his one season with the team, he was encouraged by coach Kyle Krug to play a tougher and more defensive game.

After helping them win a national championship, Coleman returned to Texas where he was encouraged to continue developing in order to eventually try out for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program.

He then played two seasons with the Dallas Stars Elite Hockey Club, helping them finish fifth and second respectively at the national midget major tournament.

As a result of his minor league success, Coleman was recruited to play in the North American Hockey League but instead chose to play in the United States Hockey League.

Coleman played 22 games for the Tri-City Storm, tallying two goals and nine assists, before being traded to the Indiana Ice.

After going undrafted in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Coleman returned to the Ice for the 2010–11 season.

His sophomore campaign would prove to be a breakout season for him as he set numerous personal and league records.

His line was also considered the best line in the league.

Coleman finished the season with the USHL's scoring title by accumulating 34 goals and 58 assists for 90 points.

He was selected in the third round, 75th overall, by the New Jersey Devils during the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Prior to joining Miami University, Coleman was drafted in the third round, 75th overall, of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils.

Coleman played for the Miami RedHawks at Miami University from 2011 to 2015.

There, he enrolled in the Farmer School of Business and completed his degree in business.

Coleman recorded his first collegiate assist on October 8 against Bemidji State and his first collegiate goal on October 28, 2011, against the Lake Superior State Lakers.

However, the RedHawks continued to fall in the standings and entered November in last place in the CCHA standings.

Coleman and fellow freshman Tyler Biggs and Jimmy Mullin began to pick up scoring through the month and slowly the RedHawks improved to .500 in overall and league play.

By November 26, Coleman had registered two multi-point games to tie for second on the team with five goals.

The trio continued to improve offensively and Coleman eventually tied for 11th among rookies in the CCHA with 12 points by late January.

At the same time, the RedHawks' seven freshman players, Biggs, Austin Czarnik, Coleman, Mullin, and Alex Wideman, also combined for 28 goals on the year and 67 points.

As a result of his outstanding play, Coleman was recognized with the CCHA Rookie of the Week honor for the week ending on January 29, 2012.

Following his freshman season, Coleman attended the New Jersey Devils' 2012 Rookie Camp.

He then returned to the RedHawks for the 2012–13 season where he helped them advance to the Midwest Regional semifinals for the first time since 2010.

Coleman began the season by leading the team with three goals and four points and tying for first in the country with 1.50 goals per game.

As a result, he received the CCHA Offensive Player of Week honour for the week ending on October 15, 2012.

By mid-February, Coleman and the RedHawks had improved to an 18–13–2 overall record as they ranked 19th in the standings.

Coleman concluded his freshman season registering 12 goals and 11 assists for 23 points through 39 games.

Coleman won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021, becoming just the second Texas-born player to win the Stanley Cup (after Brian Leetch won with the New York Rangers in 1994) and first to be exclusively trained in the state.