The Dallas Stars were active ahead of the trade deadline as they positioned themselves for a deep playoff push. Sitting near the top of the Central Division, the focus in Dallas was on adding experienced depth.
One name that surfaced prominently in trade discussions was veteran forward Blake Coleman, but a deal never materialized.
Why Dallas Backed Off the Coleman Pursuit
Coleman appeared on several “trade bait” lists, yet the Calgary Flames ultimately chose to keep him for the remainder of the season. He is currently in the fifth year of his six-year, $29.4 million contract.
NHL insider David Pagnotta revealed that Dallas was seriously considering a deal but had little financial flexibility.
“All eyes kind of on Blake Coleman. So, what’s going to happen there? There was some talk actually ahead of the trade deadline that if Dallas was in a position to move out a body, to move out a contract with a decent cap hit that they were going to have a subsequent deal in place with the Flames for Blake Coleman. Maybe that’s something that gets, you know, revisited,” Pagnotta said.
The comments suggest general manager Jim Nill needed to clear salary first before completing a trade. However, moving a mid-level contract without attaching a premium asset, such as a first-round pick, proved difficult, and Dallas wasn’t willing to pay that price.
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For the math to work, Dallas likely would have needed Calgary to retain up to 50 percent of Blake Coleman’s salary. However, that scenario seemed unlikely, since Coleman still has another year left on his contract and the Flames were hesitant to carry long-term retained salary during their rebuild.
As per insider Darren Dreger, the Flames viewed Coleman as the “last veteran standing” on their roster. As a result, they were only willing to move him if the return was overwhelming, a price Dallas ultimately chose not to meet.
Instead of forcing a blockbuster move, the Stars leaned toward smaller, targeted additions. Dallas acquired Michael Bunting from the Nashville Predators, providing a top-six spark without complex cap maneuvering. They also added defenseman Tyler Myers, a 6’8” presence that addressed the need for size on the blue line, something head coach Glen Gulutzan prioritized.
While the deal never happened, the door may not be closed. With the offseason approaching, the Stars could revisit Coleman talks in the offseason, with speculation pointing toward the 2026 NHL Draft in June as a possible window for renewed discussions.
