"I thought it was a huge honor," said the Texas native. "I talked to Ray [Shero] about it and Bill Zito [Team USA general manager] and they had a lot of nice things to say about my game and how they saw me fitting into the team. It wasn't hard to say yes."
It's the first international tournament for Coleman and, outside of his neighbor on the plane spilling red wine on him less than five minutes into their trans-Atlantic flight, it's been an experience he won't forget for all the right reasons.
"I didn't really know what to expect, but it's been a good time with a good group of guys," he said. "It's been a lot of fun getting to know them on the ice and off the ice too. It's been a really good experience and now we have our families here and it's nice to share this with them as well. As far as the games go, we all want to win and go home with a gold medal."
Through seven games in the preliminary round, Coleman has a goal and an assist to go with the 13 goals and 12 assists he notched in 79 games for the New Jersey Devils this season. He's being used in a similar role for Team USA as he is in New Jersey - strong forechecker, energy guy, key penalty killer - and USA head coach Jeff Blashill has enjoyed his versatility.
"He can play center. He can play wing. He can take faceoffs, especially on that left side. He's a great penalty killer. He can move up and down your line up, has the ability to make plays. He can play against other teams' best players. He's physical, plays the game hard. I just think he gives you that versatility and that edge," he said about the 5-foot-11, 200 pound forward. "I think he's played well so far and hopefully he'll continue to get more comfortable on the big ice and get better and better as we go."
The big ice has been a challenge for Coleman, but one he's not entirely unfamiliar with.
"I had a little bit of experience in college, but I've never been a fan of the big sheet because a lot of my game is predicated on getting in on the forecheck and playing in tight areas and it just takes longer to get there," he said. "It's different, but it's been good to learn from it and try to get better as the tournament goes on."
As Team USA advances to the quarterfinals against Czech Republic on Thursday at 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. ET, Blashill says Coleman's importance to the team will grow as a strong guy who plays hard, but he's already cautioned him to stay within his game and not do too much outside his wheelhouse.
"Blake's got an offensive upside, if he keeps his game simple. One of the challenges when you move up and down the line up is trying to play like Patrick Kane, but you can't do that. There's only one of those. You have to play to your strengths. That's one of the most important things for players to do and his strength is his compete level and his willingness to win battles," the coach explained. "He's got good skill, but he's got to make sure he plays within himself and, when he does that, I think he's an excellent hockey player."
Along with the relationships Coleman's developed with his new teammates that he is confident will last beyond this tournament, he's also enjoyed the atmosphere of the international event.
"It's cool to see all the fans from all the different countries and how they rally around their team," he said. "It's been great, even just walking around town and seeing all the different jerseys. It's been real fun to be a part of."
He's also been keeping a watchful eye on his USA teammates and taking mental notes of the little things they do to separate themselves from the pack.
"We've got some superstars in New Jersey, but it's also pretty neat to share the ice with some other really talented players and watching them turn plays is a lot of fun," he said. "I'm certainly trying to pick up on their habits and different things they do on the ice and how they might fit into my game or my preparation. It's been a great way to learn."
But Coleman and his teammates are hoping to cross back over the Atlantic Ocean with more than just once-in-a-lifetime experiences and lessons learned.
"This experience has been something I'll never forget," he said. "But, a medal is what we're looking for and we'd really like it to be gold. So, we're going to do everything we can to make that happen."
