Jackson Blake was not a sure-fire top prospect. So, why did he make it big?
· Yahoo Sports
Jun. 16—GRAND FORKS — Jackson Blake was not a can't-miss NHL prospect.
He was a fourth-round pick. The Carolina Hurricanes passed on him five times before taking him No. 109 overall in the 2021 NHL Draft.
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After Blake's Hobey Baker finalist sophomore campaign at UND in 2023-24, there were plenty of questions about how his game would translate to the NHL level and how long he would spend in the minors.
He signed in April 2024 with the Hurricanes, who had just finished third in the NHL in points and brought back most of their forwards the following year. They also signed first-round pick in Maine's Bradly Nadeau, who seemed destined to take one of those spots.
It seemed reasonable to expect Blake to begin his pro hockey career in the American Hockey League and battle for a call-up.
But it did not play out that way at all.
Two years after leaving UND, Blake is a Stanley Cup champion.
He led Carolina in scoring in the playoffs with 20 points. He has already signed an eight-year, $40.9-million contract that kicks in next season. And he has not spent a minute in the minor leagues.
So, why did Blake make it big when others with similar profiles often grind in the minors for years, hoping for a call-up?
"We believe he has elite hockey sense, elite competitiveness and high-end confidence," UND head coach Dane Jackson said. "I think those things allow him to flourish in a hard league. He's got very high-end instincts and offensive gifts. His sense, his vision, his elusiveness are all extremely good. He's just got that 'it' factor, that confidence. He believes in himself. He wants to be the guy who is going to make the play and thinks he is going to be."
Assistant coach Dillon Simpson arrived at UND before Blake's sophomore season.
"Getting to see it firsthand, what he was able to do for us, was unreal," Simpson said. "I thought he was the best player in college hockey that year. He's super, super talented. He has a really high hockey IQ and is a great kid, but he's really competitive. He doesn't back down from anything. He isn't afraid to go to hard areas. He battles and works to get pucks back. You knew that could translate. He'd will his way to success."
Blake piled up 60 points as a sophomore at UND, leading the Fighting Hawks to the Penrose Cup as National Collegiate Hockey Conference champions.
After UND fell to Michigan in the NCAA regional, he signed with the Hurricanes and made his NHL debut that spring. The next fall, he made Carolina's roster out of training camp.
Blake scored 17 goals and tallied 34 points as a rookie. He had 22 goals and 53 points this season, before helping Carolina to its second Stanley Cup in franchise history.
UND's staff enjoyed watching Blake hoist the Cup.
"It's just so exciting," Jackson said. "You're just so happy for him and proud of the level he played at. Their line, I thought, was the best line. He was a driver consistently. It's amazing to see how quickly he made that jump and not just become an NHLer, but has become a really good NHLer."
Simpson said he jumped off his couch when Blake scored in the Stanley Cup-clinching game.
"His line was driving the bus, doing what they do best," Simpson said. "It was exciting to see that. For it to happen for him so early in his career. . . it's so well deserved. He's earned everything and it's cool to see."