Coleman Returns For First Time in 619 Days | BLOG

So much has happened since the New Jersey Devils traded Blake Coleman to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 16, 2020.
A pandemic, shortened seasons, new players, a new coaching staff. A lot is different.
For Blake, since he last put on a Devils jersey, he's welcomed two daughters, won two Stanley Cups, and has also changed teams.
And yet, tonight marks the first time that Coleman will return to the Prudential Center to face the team that gave him his start in the NHL.
"It was one of those things where at the time you can't see the big picture," Coleman recalled today of the trade, "but ultimately it turned out really great.
"It's crazy that I haven't been back to Jersey yet."
It's been 619 days, in fact, since Coleman was last a member of the Devils.

"Now that I'm here and walking around the city, it feels like it was yesterday," he said. "It's exciting, it almost seems like those two years in between just went by really quickly now that I'm back here."
Even though it has been almost two years, the love that the fanbase had for Coleman will surely be on display when he hits the ice against his former team. There was always a special connection between the fanbase and Coleman, an appreciation for the hard work, his tenacity and lest we forget some

One hopes that he doesn't find that same touch tonight against his former team, as the Devils fanbase tonight will find out what it's been like all those years to watch Coleman hit the ice as an opponent.
"Hopefully they'll remember all the good times that we had," Coleman laughed, "but I was always treated so well here, the fans were always great to me. Hopefully, they think back of me as fondly as I do of them and hopefully it will be a memorable night."