Calgary Flames Forward Blake Coleman Sidelined Until After Olympic Break
Calgary Flames winger Blake Coleman will be unavailable until after the NHL's Olympic break, head coach Ryan Huska confirmed this week. The veteran forward has been dealing with an upper-body injury that has kept him out of the lineup since January 8.
Injury Timeline and Impact
Coleman has missed the Flames' last eight games and will not be available for upcoming matchups against the Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, or Edmonton Oilers. With the NHL pausing for the Winter Olympics in Italy, the earliest possible return date for Coleman is February 26.
"No, unfortunately now, we're going to shut him down," Huska stated. "We won't see him until after the break."
The 34-year-old forward had been practicing with teammates while wearing a non-contact jersey in recent weeks but was absent from Wednesday's practice session.
Statistical Impact and Team Performance
Coleman's absence has been significant for the Flames, who have posted a 3-3-2 record since his injury. At the time he was sidelined, Coleman was leading the team with 13 goals and ranked fourth in points with 21.
The forward's contributions extend beyond offensive production. He serves on the team's first penalty-kill unit and regularly matches up against opposing teams' top lines, making him one of Calgary's most valuable defensive forwards.
"I think what he brings on the ice is invaluable for our team," Huska emphasized. "He's an important piece of our team, for sure, we miss him."
Leadership Void and Replacement Opportunities
Huska noted that Coleman's absence creates an opportunity for other players to step into leadership roles and embrace the forward's disciplined approach to the game.
"This is an opportunity for someone else to grab hold of a little bit of the leadership role that he plays with and grab hold of the 'play it right every shift' mentality that he has," the coach explained. "When you're missing a key player like that, you want other people to seize that opportunity."
Potential Replacements and Special Teams Performance
In Coleman's absence, the Flames have recently positioned Yegor Sharangovich on a line with Mikael Backlund and Matt Coronato. On the penalty kill, Joel Farabee has assumed Coleman's role with notable success.
The Flames' penalty kill has been exceptional in January, successfully neutralizing 26 of 27 opponent power plays while scoring as many shorthanded goals as they've allowed. Farabee has been instrumental in maintaining this defensive strength.
"He kind of fits that Blake Coleman mold a little bit," Huska said of Farabee. "He plays the game the right way and is very much a team guy and he wants to help the team win in any way he can. The offence isn't the only thing we expect out of him."
The coach specifically highlighted Farabee's contributions to penalty killing and his reliability in critical defensive zone faceoff situations.
