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A look at Colton Poolman’s last season with the Flames organization before he was claimed in free agency
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Photo credit: Angela Burger/Calgary Wranglers
Paige Siewert
Jul 5, 2024, 14:00 EDTUpdated: Jul 5, 2024, 10:41 EDT
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Colton Poolman played the last four seasons in the Calgary Flames’ AHL system. While he did not get any looks with the parent club, he was a strong pairing for other cusp guys who did. In the last couple of seasons, he played a large role in the defensive development of Jeremie Poirier while Poirier was healthy. Poolman was most recently an organization loss to free agency so as a parting gift, we’ll take a look at his last season with the Wranglers.

The past

Colton Poolman was born in East Grand Forks, MN and played local hockey growing up. He made his debut in the USHL in 2013-14 with the Fargo Force for 11 games. He played the next season with the same team then moved up to Canada to play with the Penticton Vees as the alternate captain in 2015-16. He had 40 points in 57 games with the Vees consisting of three goals and 37 assists that year.
After his stint in Penticton, Poolman went the NCAA route to the University of North Dakota in 2016-17. He played all four seasons of his collegiate career with the Fighting Hawks and was captain of the squad his senior year. In his first season at UND, he had 12 points in 40 games then more than doubled that production in his sophomore season with 29 points in 40 games. In his junior and senior years, he played fewer games in the mid-30s and matched the production with 17 points. 
He was signed by the Flames organization in 2020-21 as an undrafted defenceman. He signed a one-year, two-way entry-level contract and earned two more one-year contract extensions in the summers following. Craig Conroy signed his last contract for the Flames on July 2, 2023. 
Poolman’s jump to professional hockey came the Fall after he signed when he joined the Stockton Heat for their modified “bubble” season in Calgary. In his rookie season, he had six points in 21 games played. In his second season with the Heat, he got more of a full season in with 62 games played in the regular season and 13 played in the post-season. In the regular season, he put up 13 assists and in the playoffs that year, he put up two assists. 
Poolman was a part of the inaugural roster for the Calgary Wranglers and played in 64 games with them in 2022-23. He had his most productive year in the AHL with two goals and 14 assists in the regular season. There was also some playoff time in that season as well, where he got into nine games but did not register a point. 

The present

In 2023-24, Poolman had a different look on the blue line due to Jeremie Poirier being out for the majority of the season with a skate laceration injury. He spent most of his time skating on a pairing with Yan Kuznetsov primarily then occasionally Nick DeSimone (before he was traded) and Jonathan Aspirot. Poirier returned for the last few games of the season and playoffs so that allowed those two to reunite. 
He had a few bumps and bruises that kept him out of the lineup briefly but he still managed to skate in 66 games and put up three goals and three assists. Colton Poolman was one of many rotating alternate captains this season and would wear the A on his jersey from time to time. 
In playoffs this year, the Wranglers were running with mostly an 11-forward and seven defencemen system. In that shorter playoff run, Poolman played in five games and put up one assist. 

The future 

Unfortunately, Poolman’s immediate future will not include the Flames organization. Since free agency opened up in early July, he has since signed with the Buffalo Sabres organization on a one-year, two-way contract. We wish Colton Poolman the best of luck in Buffalo and we will miss one of the best Wranglers hockey smiles.

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