Calgary Flames trading Blake Coleman, Olli Maatta to Minnesota Wild for Jake Middleton

The Calgary Flames are trading forward Blake Coleman and defenceman Olli Maatta to the Minnesota Wild for defenceman Jake Middleton and three draft picks.

According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, the Flames will retain 50 per cent of Coleman’s $4.9 million cap hit on his contract that is set to expire next summer. He adds the Flames also receive a 2029 second-round pick, 2027 third and 2028 fourth-round pick back in the trade.

Coleman, 34, had 20 goals and 35 points in 69 games with the Flames last season.

The 5-foot-11 winger is entering the final season of a six-year, $29.4 million contract.

Drafted 75^th overall by the New Jersey Devils in 2011, Coleman has 170 goals and 325 points in 693 career games split between the Devils, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Flames.

Coleman helped the Lightning to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021, recording a combined eight goals and 24 points in 28 playoff games.

The Plano, Texas native represented the United States at 2018 World Hockey Championship, taking home a bronze medal.

Middleton, 30, registered two goals and 16 points in 75 games while averaging 17:30 of ice time. He added an assist in 11 playoff games while averaging 16:31 of ice time before his team was eliminated in the second round.

The 6-foot-3, left-shot blueliner is entering the second season of a four-year, $17.4 million contract that carries an annual cap hit of $4.35 million. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2028-29 campaign.

Drafted 210th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in 2014, Middleton played his entire NHL career in Minnesota, recording 24 goals and 94 points in 381 career games.

The Wainwright, Alta., native represented Canada at the 2023 World Hockey Championship to take home a gold medal.