Gerald Coleman Explained

Position:Goaltender
Catches:Left
Height Ft:6
Height In:5
Weight Lb:214
Played For:Tampa Bay Lightning
Birth Date:April 3, 1985
Birth Place:Romeoville, Illinois, U.S.
Career Start:2005
Career End:2014
Draft:224th overall
Draft Year:2003
Draft Team:Tampa Bay Lightning

Gerald Coleman (born April 3, 1985) is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League for the Tampa Bay Lightning. He predominantly played in the minor leagues, most notably with the Alaska Aces of the ECHL.[1]

Playing career

Coleman was drafted 224th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Selected from the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, Coleman was awarded the Dave Pinkney Trophy on his way to capturing the Memorial Cup the following season in 2003–04. He is the first graduate of the NHL Diversity Program to be drafted and to play in the NHL, making his debut for the Lightning, in relief, on November 11, 2005.[2]

On February 24, 2007, Coleman was traded with a 1st round draft pick to the Anaheim Ducks for Shane O'Brien and a 3rd round draft pick.[3] He was then assigned to the Ducks AHL affiliate, the Portland Pirates.

Coleman attended the Chicago Wolves training camp for the 2008–09 season, before he was released. After starting the year in the ECHL with the Phoenix RoadRunners, Coleman was recalled to the Worcester Sharks but upon his return was traded to the Trenton Devils on November 21, 2008.[4] Coleman was then credited as a major influence in the turn around Trenton Devils season going 27-8-2 for the remainder of the year.[5]

Coleman was then invited to the New Jersey Devils training camp for the 2009–10 before he was reassigned to AHL affiliate, the Lowell Devils.[6] Coleman appeared in just three games with Lowell before he returned to Trenton for the season.[7]

After attending the St. Louis Blues training camp, Coleman played the 2010–11 season with the Alaska Aces, posting a 2.19 GAA and a save percentage of .913, earning a record of 30-15-1-0 with 4 shutouts.[8] In the Kelly Cup Playoffs, Coleman, along with the rest of the Aces set a playoff record with a 12-1 record to capture the cup. Coleman earned 11 of those 12 wins and did so with a .938 save percentage and a 1.73 GAA and 3 shutouts. In the end, Coleman lead the Alaska Aces win their second Brabham Cup and second Kelly Cup in franchise history. The Alaska Aces are also the only team to win the Brabham Cup and Kelly cup in the same year twice. He also captured goaltender of the year.

Coleman returned to the Aces the following season and after 23 games was signed to a professional try-out by the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL.[9] Coleman enjoyed a prominent role with the Monsters, winning 11 of 17 games before returning to the Aces to finish a second consecutive year with the lowest goals against average in the ECHL.

With off-season surgery and a forecasted lengthy recovery limiting interest from the AHL, Coleman re-signed with the Aces for his third season with the club on July 12, 2012.[10]

After his fourth season with the Aces, and backstopping the club to their second Kelly Cup Championship in his successful tenure, Coleman retired from professional hockey due to persisting hip injuries on August 1, 2014. He intended to pursue studies in physical therapy.[11]

Career statistics

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP W L T OTL MIN GA SV%GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
2002–03OHL26 6 9 3 1074 59 1 3.30 .892
2003–04London KnightsOHL33 24 8 0 1852 68 5 2.20 .9318 5 2 442 19 1 2.58 9.12
2004–05London KnightsOHL38 32 2 2 2224 63 8 1.70 .9418 7 1 455 13 0 1.71 .935
2005–06Springfield FalconsAHL43 14 21 3 2413 156 2 3.88 .880
2005–06Tampa Bay LightningNHL2 0 0 1 43 2 0 2.79 .882
2006–07Springfield FalconsAHL3 2 1 0 179 6 0 2.01 .940
2006–07Johnstown ChiefsECHL17 7 9 0 914 52 0 3.41 .902
2006–07Portland PiratesAHL11 4 5 0 603 29 0 2.89 .895
2007–08Portland PiratesAHL18 8 6 2 968 47 2 2.91 .8961 0 0 39 4 0 6.09 .789
2007–08Augusta LynxECHL9 2 5 0 500 22 0 2.64 .902
2008–09Phoenix RoadRunnersECHL4 2 1 1 244 6 1 1.48 .950
2008–09Worcester SharksAHL3 0 2 0 112 6 0 3.23 .854
2008–09Trenton DevilsECHL40 27 8 2 2322 92 3 2.38 .9153 1 2 246 15 0 3.66 .888
2009–10Lowell DevilsAHL3 1 2 0 182 13 0 4.28 .873
2009–10Trenton DevilsECHL30 11 9 7 1563 94 0 3.61 .887
2010–11Alaska AcesECHL47 30 15 1 2735 100 4 2.19 .91312 11 1 729 21 3 1.73 .938
2011–12Alaska AcesECHL27 18 5 4 1644 53 1 1.93 .92610 5 5 569 19 1 2.00 .925
2011–12Lake Erie MonstersAHL17 11 4 2 963 41 0 2.56 .922
2012–13Alaska AcesECHL32 23 6 3 1907 69 2 2.17 .9189 4 5 548 21 0 2.30 .911
2013–14Alaska AcesECHL25 14 6 5 1504 60 2 2.39 .91014 10 4 814 18 2 1.33 .942
NHL totals2 0 0 1 43 2 0 2.79 .882

Awards and honors

AwardYear
OHL
Dave Pinkney Trophy2004, 2005
Third All-Star Team2005
CHL Memorial Cup (London Knights)2005
ECHL
Second All-Star Team2009
First All-Star Team[12]
Goaltender of the Year2011
Kelly Cup (Alaska Aces)2011, 2014

Notes and References

  1. News: Changing the Face of Hockey. The New York Times. 22 December 2007 . 2016-10-27 . Harris . Cecil .
  2. Web site: Granderson: Still a pioneer - ESPN Page 2 . . 2008-01-21 . 2016-10-27.
  3. Web site: Ducks trade O'Brien to Lightning for 1st round pick. Foxsports.com. 2007-02-24. 2009-01-28. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20071125210125/http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/Spector/2007/02/24/Ducks_Trade_OBrien_to_Lightning_for_First_Round_Pick. 2007-11-25.
  4. Web site: ECHL transactions . . 2008-11-23 . 2010-04-30.
  5. Web site: Trenton benefiting from Coleman in goal . . 2009-01-30 . 2010-04-30.
  6. Web site: Pikkarainen hopeful as 2009 camp opens. . 2009-09-10 . 2010-04-30.
  7. Web site: Coleman sent down from Lowell . . 2009-10-27 . 2010-04-30.
  8. Web site: Training Camp - St. Louis Blues . . 2010-09-19 . 2010-09-19.
  9. News: Lake Erie find goaltending help in Alaska . The Plain Dealer . 2012-01-20 . 2012-01-02.
  10. Web site: Aces ink Coleman as first off-season signing . . 2012-07-12 . 2012-07-12.
  11. News: Alaska Aces stalwart goaltender Gerald Coleman retires. . 2014-08-01 . 2014-08-01 .
  12. Web site: All-ECHL First-Team announced . . 2011-04-25 . 2011-04-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110404053738/http://www.echl.com/all-echl-first-team-announced-p170401 . 2011-04-04 . dead .