Player Discussion Jackson Blake

[AhosDatsyukian]

As the resident "player discussion thread" guy I figured this kid deserves a thread.

He's got great stats for a rookie who has played half the year on the 4th line without PP time, but honestly the eye test suggests he should have 20 more points than he has anyways. I can't believe how strong this kid is on the puck and how nifty his hands are. I've seen some plays where he is moving the puck so fast and creatively that even guys like Jarvis and Aho are a bit behind him and can't make the play because they weren't expecting such a great chance like that -- usually it's the opposite with those guys. Thank god we didn't include him in the Guentzel trade as was rumored.

What do y'all think his ceiling is/what he projects as? Honestly I think he could reach Brad Marchand heights, and possibly much sooner than Marchand did (without being a rat). Maybe a peak of 100 points but more in the 85 point range, all while being very defensively responsible. Yeah he's got a ways to go to get there but he's absolutely blown me away this year. Really helping mitigate my disappointment losing Necas.

 

[Stanky and Janky]

As the resident "player discussion thread" guy I figured this kid deserves a thread.

He's got great stats for a rookie who has played half the year on the 4th line without PP time, but honestly the eye test suggests he should have 20 more points than he has anyways. I can't believe how strong this kid is on the puck and how nifty his hands are. I've seen some plays where he is moving the puck so fast and creatively that even guys like Jarvis and Aho are a bit behind him and can't make the play because they weren't expecting such a great chance like that -- usually it's the opposite with those guys. Thank god we didn't include him in the Guentzel trade as was rumored.

What do y'all think his ceiling is/what he projects as? Honestly I think he could reach Brad Marchand heights, and possibly much sooner than Marchand did (without being a rat). Maybe a peak of 100 points but more in the 85 point range, all while being very defensively responsible. Yeah he's got a ways to go to get there but he's absolutely blown me away this year. Really helping mitigate my disappointment losing Necas.

It's hard to say what his ceiling is. Perhaps in a perfect world your prediction comes right but it feels a bit high. But I can easily see him reaching the level of Jarvis. He's smart, creative, has great hands, good motor, and solid strength for his size. If he improves his shot, man, look out he'll hit 40 like his old man did once upon a time.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

he has been one of the top 3 or so players on the team since christmas. he makes something happen just about every time he has the puck on his stick. very creative, shockingly strong on the puck. one of the only guys on the team who consistently has the vision and talent to complete cross ice passes to get the goalie moving, often through traffic. he's going to be a top 6 stud for a long time.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

This guy's a keeper.

 

[HydratedByStormBrew]

Anybody with a subscription to that website that makes player cards?

 

[bleedgreen]

Not everyone plays exactly like their Dad so it’s often an off comparison to make but both Jack Drury and Jackson Blake are pretty spot on comparisons for their Pops.

Jason Blake in his prime was a 20’s g, 50-65 pt scorer with one huge season of 40 goals and 69 pts. I think somewhere in that average is where Jackson Blake could be. I don’t expect the huge season out of him but I think hoping he’s 20-30 goal, 50-60 pts guy is pretty appropriate. I’d be pretty happy with the minimum there of 20g 50pts playing for us. His skill set is better than Jarvis and he’s also more aggressive one on one but he isn’t nearly as well rounded or have the same level of vision/poise yet. His Dad was very similar. Great individual player with a ton of spark, great forechecker but he was best offensively as the finisher and often drove the net himself. Not a huge playmaker though he could make good passes.

 

[chaz4hockey]

I see him as a future 25G/40A guy

 

[Stanky and Janky]

Not everyone plays exactly like their Dad so it’s often an off comparison to make but both Jack Drury and Jackson Blake are pretty spot on comparisons for their Pops.

Jason Blake in his prime was a 20’s g, 50-65 pt scorer with one huge season of 40 goals and 69 pts. I think somewhere in that average is where Jackson Blake could be. I don’t expect the huge season out of him but I think hoping he’s 20-30 goal, 50-60 pts guy is pretty appropriate. I’d be pretty happy with the minimum there of 20g 50pts.

Keep in mind his dad wasn't a full time player until 26 and didn't really break out until like 29. I think Jackson has the upside to be a better player at this point, though as I said, I do see him settling in to a range about where Jarvis is right now.

 

[CanesFanBudMan]

Jason Blake did not break into the NHL until he was 26. Jackson Blake is 21.

 

[CanesFanBudMan]

Keep in mind his dad wasn't a full time player until 26 and didn't really break out until like 29. I think Jackson has the upside to be a better player at this point, though as I said, I do see him settling in to a range about where Jarvis is right now.

Beat me to it

 

[bleedgreen]

Keep in mind his dad wasn't a full time player until 26 and didn't really break out until like 29. I think Jackson has the upside to be a better player at this point, though as I said, I do see him settling in to a range about where Jarvis is right now.

I added onto my post a comparison to Jarvis as you wrote this lol. I don’t see the level of poise and puck protection that Jarvis has but the raw skill is there. Also the sass to take the puck to the tough to get to areas with zero hesitation.

The age means zero. Different era where small players weren’t given a chance. Jason was as good as Jackson at the same age.

 

[CanesFanBudMan]

I added onto my post a comparison to Jarvis as you wrote this lol. I don’t see the level of poise and puck protection that Jarvis has but the raw skill is there. Also the sass to take the puck to the tough to get to areas with zero hesitation.

The age means zero. Different era where small players weren’t given a chance. Jason was as good as Jackson at the same age.

It’s not apples to apples, but at Jackson’s age Jason was playing his first NCAA season and still would not break into the NHL for 5 years. That 5 years of much increased quality of competition for Jackson has a chance to be better for his development thank his dad’s delayed route.

That said they are not the same player either but for arguments sake say they are. I would say Jackson’s development pathway is better managed than Jason’s

 

[Chrispy]

I'd also point out that while I agree Jason Blake's 40/29/69 season was an outlier, it was also within the new NHL higher scoring (06-07, although not as high as 05-06.)

Blake broke out with 55 point and 47 point seasons for the Islanders in 02-03 and 03-04, which were both low scoring seasons, especially 03-04 (2.57G/G, the lowest scoring season since 1956.)

Considering the new era of higher scoring, it's reasonable to think a player of comparable skill would end up scoring more.

 

[DaveG]

Not everyone plays exactly like their Dad so it’s often an off comparison to make but both Jack Drury and Jackson Blake are pretty spot on comparisons for their Pops.

Jason Blake in his prime was a 20’s g, 50-65 pt scorer with one huge season of 40 goals and 69 pts. I think somewhere in that average is where Jackson Blake could be. I don’t expect the huge season out of him but I think hoping he’s 20-30 goal, 50-60 pts guy is pretty appropriate. I’d be pretty happy with the minimum there of 20g 50pts playing for us. His skill set is better than Jarvis and he’s also more aggressive one on one but he isn’t nearly as well rounded or have the same level of vision/poise yet. His Dad was very similar. Great individual player with a ton of spark, great forechecker but he was best offensively as the finisher and often drove the net himself. Not a huge playmaker though he could make good passes.

You kinda beat me to the punch on this one, though the one thing that's stood out to me is that Jack seems be a better playmaker than I remember Jason being. Though how much of that is a function of the teams Jason was on? The 02 Isles make this Canes team look like the 72 Soviets from a skill standpoint outside of maybe Yashin, and those Leafs teams were pretty meh outside of an end-of-career Sundin. By the time he got to a team with this kind of skill level or better he was 36 (Anaheim with Getz, Perry, Teemu)

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

I don't really care much about Jason Blake.

Jackson looks like he's taking the Jarvis path. Listen to every single thing that Brind'Amour says and don't worry about the fact that you're a rookie when the puck is on your stick. He's a little more glide-y and shifty than Jarvis with a little less natural finish, but he's the main character every time he's on the ice which this team needs more of.

More impressively, to me, he's a 21-year-old little guy and he's getting better down the stretch of his first 82 game season, not worse. He's a defensive presence not a liability.

He's going to be a top 6 guy on this team for a lot of years, and if he ever finds the finish (which I think he clearly has in him) I wouldn't be surprised to see him score 25-30 goals consistently.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Also, Jack Drury is 25 years old and his career high in points is lower than Chris Drury's career low (outside of his final year where he only played 24 games).

I like Jack Drury and I wish him well, but he's closer to a 4C than a 3C IMO.

 

[Stickpucker]

I added onto my post a comparison to Jarvis as you wrote this lol. I don’t see the level of poise and puck protection that Jarvis has but the raw skill is there. Also the sass to take the puck to the tough to get to areas with zero hesitation.

The age means zero. Different era where small players weren’t given a chance. Jason was as good as Jackson at the same age.

I'm going to nitpick...what do you mean poise? One thing that sticks out to me is Blake's ability to stick handle with the puck and that opens up the middle of the ice for him. Just watching his highlights last night are a few great examples.

He also does a good job protecting the puck and along the boards especially for a guy his size. If he lacked in these areas there's no way Rod would give him the minutes he's getting.

 

[chaz4hockey]

I don't really care much about Jason Blake.

Jackson looks like he's taking the Jarvis path. Listen to every single thing that Brind'Amour says and don't worry about the fact that you're a rookie when the puck is on your stick. He's a little more glide-y and shifty than Jarvis with a little less natural finish, but he's the main character every time he's on the ice which this team needs more of.

More impressively, to me, he's a 21-year-old little guy and he's getting better down the stretch of his first 82 game season, not worse. He's a defensive presence not a liability.

He's going to be a top 6 guy on this team for a lot of years, and if he ever finds the finish (which I think he clearly has in him) I wouldn't be surprised to see him score 25-30 goals consistently.

Agree with all your points.

I'd comment that Blake is a lot slower than Jarvis in straight line speed but his in-zone edge work are best on the team and is already damn good comparatively to the rest of the League

 

[raynman]

Also, Jack Drury is 25 years old and his career high in points is lower than Chris Drury's career low (outside of his final year where he only played 24 games).

I like Jack Drury and I wish him well, but he's closer to a 4C than a 3C IMO.

Chris is his uncle, Ted is his dad.

 

[Joe McGrath]

Also, Jack Drury is 25 years old and his career high in points is lower than Chris Drury's career low (outside of his final year where he only played 24 games).

I like Jack Drury and I wish him well, but he's closer to a 4C than a 3C IMO.

Jack Drury is Ted Drury’s son. Chris is his uncle.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Chris is his uncle, Ted is his dad.

Jack Drury is Ted Drury’s son. Chris is his uncle.

Oh gosh, of course. Then yes, I 100% agree that Jack Drury is a lot like his dad, lol.

 

[Chrispy]

Oh gosh, of course. Then yes, I 100% agree that Jack Drury is a lot like his dad, lol.

He had a wicked curve at age 12?

No, that was Chris too.

So what was Ted known for??

 

[Joe McGrath]

He had a wicked curve at age 12?

No, that was Chris too.

So what was Ted known for??

Basically being Jack Drury for the Whalers and Ducks in the 90s. I think. Might be confusing him and Terry Yake though. Fine Bottom 6 center on shit teams.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

I think Jason's late breakout definitely hindered his career development. By the time he was really getting significant opportunity in the NHL he was past his physical prime. Jackson is already getting significant opportunity and he hasn't even reached his physical prime yet. It's a fine comparison and an easy one being father/son but I think Jackson can be much better than Jason.

Don't misconstrue that as me as predicting that will happen. I have no idea if it will happen but his trajectory so far to me suggests it is a possibility. His game does remind me of Marchand's honestly. And by game I mean the actual hockey part of it, not Marchand's pest aspects.

I don't think Marchand has anywhere near his late career production without developing insane chemistry with Bergeron AND Pastrnak, both potentially future HoF or hall of very good players, so linemates will certainly be a factor for Blake too. I like the chemistry with Aho and Jarvis so far but I'm not sure that'll be a long term 1st line solution. Maybe...

 

[bleedgreen]

Also, Jack Drury is 25 years old and his career high in points is lower than Chris Drury's career low (outside of his final year where he only played 24 games).

I like Jack Drury and I wish him well, but he's closer to a 4C than a 3C IMO.

Jack Drury’s Dad is Ted Drury - not Chris. Ted was a 4C. They were drafted around the same spot and followed nearly identical paths while producing pretty much at the same clip. It’s a pretty fair comparison.

Also, I was never trying to make this about Jason Blake, the thread was about guessing where you think a guy is going to be. I thought in both Drury and Blake the play style is so similar you can use that as a possible measuring point to start with since it’s such a small sample and we’re all just putting our own projections, biases and hopes on Blake.