Player Discussion Jackson Blake

[bleedgreen]

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.

It’s more about Jarvis than Blake. Jarvis arrived at the NHL level at 19 years old with the ability to shield and protect the puck, and holding onto it until there’s a safe and smart option for him to pass to. It was pretty high level from day one and it’s why Necas dropped in the lineup and Jarvis played higher up because Rod eats that stuff up. That’s poise to me. Holding onto the puck and making good choices when you do choose to do something with it. Blake isn’t in that category, and in fact his first choice with the puck for most of this season was to drive right at the D and try to make a move on them. That’s not poise. Of course it’s early and since he got promoted he looks better. I think what Blake has (which does seem passed down) is confidence. If he doesn’t get through the first time he does it again. He has great natural instincts with the puck so he does make great quick little passes, but like I’m saying that’s a little different than poise to me. Especially when compared to Jarvis.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

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.

I’ve already been taken to task for this bleed. Geez. Read the room.

 

[Bub]

No no no, guys, you're all wrong. According to Reliable Sources* he's just a diver and we should get rid of him before we all get embarrassed.

* - Pens TV announcers, name forgotten: "He sure seems to 'fall down' a lot." [Blake gets cross-checked.] "Hahahahaha. Hey, there he goes again!"

 

[bleedgreen]

I’ve already been taken to task for this bleed. Geez. Read the room.

Sorry bruh....I saw that after I said it. Tough crowd round f26 some days.

 

[To Be Determined]

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Also, the last rookie to score 14 goals on the year who was either named Jackson Blake or Wayne Gretzky was… Wayne Gretzky!

 

[Tryamw]

So.... Kill him?

 

[HisIceness]

Also, the last rookie to score 14 goals on the year who was either named Jackson Blake or Wayne Gretzky was… Wayne Gretzky!

 

[bleedgreen]

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.

That’s pretty much it in a nutshell. Terry Yake did go to the Ducks but Ted bounced around and could’ve been there too.

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

What an odd combination of stats lol

 

[Unsustainable]

What an odd combination of stats lol

If you add in named Jackson, he's 1 of 1

 

[To Be Determined]

What an odd combination of stats lol

seriously - i love it.

it is almost baseball stat silly. and baseball isn't a game, it is a stat generation system.

that run of "filters" reminded me of something like "and smitzkin is up to bat. he has had a down year, only hitting 0.212, but it should be noted he is leading the team in pinch hit singles on thursday afternoons in partly cloudy weather while wearing the mauve uniform"

 

[CandyCanes]

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

Inspired: The Canes are undefeated when they score more goals than their opponents!

 

[WreckingCrew]

No no no, guys, you're all wrong. According to Reliable Sources* he's just a diver and we should get rid of him before we all get embarrassed.

* - Pens TV announcers, name forgotten: "He sure seems to 'fall down' a lot." [Blake gets cross-checked.] "Hahahahaha. Hey, there he goes again!"

In all fairness, if there's one team of announcers that should be able to identify blatant divers, it's the Pens (or Bruins)

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

Bumping this to give the kid some SERIOUS credit. First playoff series under his belt and in 5 games he put up 1G, 3A (all even strength), +2 and has earned an incredible amount of trust from Rod as a rookie with the 4th most forward time behind Aho, Jarvis, Svech (more than Staal!) in a clinching double OT game. Honestly his rookie season is challenging Jarvis’ among the best rookie seasons in team history. Also 2nd star in the game, and while one could argue Svech he was definitely deserving of a star

 

[Stanky and Janky]

Bumping this to give the kid some SERIOUS credit. First playoff series under his belt and in 5 games he put up 1G, 3A (all even strength), +2 and has earned an incredible amount of trust from Rod as a rookie with the 4th most forward time behind Aho, Jarvis, Svech (more than Staal!) in a clinching double OT game. Honestly his rookie season is challenging Jarvis’ among the best rookie seasons in team history. Also 2nd star in the game, and while one could argue Svech he was definitely deserving of a star

He's just another one of those dudes that's such a Hurricane. And man, it's fun to think back about him kinda fading before the Christmas break and then he's just been a damn stud since then. Even at times since then that he hasn't produced he's just always around it. He's got so much skill and clearly put in so much work in the gym as we saw from that famous workout pic to still be playing at this level right now. Every game he does a couple of moves with the puck on his stick that legit leave me awed at how shifty and slippery and strong and smart he is. I'm super happy he's on this team and he's looking like one of those lock them up as long as possible when you get the chance types.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

The Canes have a bit of a log jam with all of these stellar right shot wing prospects and players like Jarvis, Blake, Stankoven, Nadeau, and FUS. A part of me wonders if one or two of these guys (likely the latter two) get packaged in a big trade for a 2C.

 

[Borsig]

Shipping Nadeau out after what we say this year is pants on head unless you're getting an insane return.

 

[Discipline Daddy]

The Canes have a bit of a log jam with all of these stellar right shot wing prospects and players like Jarvis, Blake, Stankoven, Nadeau, and FUS. A part of me wonders if one or two of these guys (likely the latter two) get packaged in a big trade for a 2C.

Absolutely. Good problem to have, but a bit of a problem. Stank and Blake fit similar niches on the team.

For the medium term, we'll probably just continue to work them in and roll 4 quality lines. It will come at a cost to their production, but maybe we'll be better for it longterm. This offseason we could theoretically re-sign Blake and Stank. However, the front office seems to prefer to get the longest player evaluation time possible.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

Shipping Nadeau out after what we say this year is pants on head unless you're getting an insane return.

A second-line center would be a stellar return for Nadeau and picks, depending on who it is. If someone like Barzal is available because the Isles decide to rebuild, I would be all over that.

 

[MinJaBen]

A second-line center would be a stellar return for Nadeau and picks, depending on who it is. If someone like Barzal is available because the Isles decide to rebuild, I would be all over that.

I think we see a reunion with Lindholm. If Boston resets, they may look at that contract as something to get rid of. But with the current cap environment, I think it fits very well on our team as a 2C given his style of play and ours. And I think last year will not be typical for him and he would look real good between Jarvis and Stank or whatever set of wingers Rod wants to put with him.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

I think Blake and Jarvis are more or less off limits in trades at this point. I mean obviously for the right player both could be available (but those "right players" are pretty much never available themselves), but realistically I think the team will say no thanks if teams inquire about those 2, just like we've done with Nikishin the last several years.

Nadeau is similar in size and handedness but unlike the other 3 guys (and anyone else on our team really) his shot and goal scoring ability are a very unique skillset for this team and one we've badly needed. We don't know how well it'll translate yet or if his D and other aspects of his game are so bad that it'll outweigh his strengths but it's hard to let that skillset go.

Which leads me to believe ultimately that Stank will wind up being the odd man out among those 4. But I don't think it'll be any time soon, think we'll roll with all 4 for a couple years at least to let it further play out and evaluate who the true long term keepers are. Jarvis obviously locked in there, and Blake looking like it but things can definitely change over the course of the next few years. I do like Stank a lot but at some point I think one of the 4 will have to go.

I don't include FUS as part of the discussion as he is a pure center and also projects more as a bottom 6er while the other 4 project as potential top 6 guys, so I don't think they're competing for the same forward spots in the lineup.

 

[spockBokk]

Absolutely. Good problem to have, but a bit of a problem. Stank and Blake fit similar niches on the team.

For the medium term, we'll probably just continue to work them in and roll 4 quality lines. It will come at a cost to their production, but maybe we'll be better for it longterm. This offseason we could theoretically re-sign Blake and Stank. However, the front office seems to prefer to get the longest player evaluation time possible.

Seems like they’re perfectly fine right now with Jarvis, Blake and Stankoven in the top 9. That’s a small, but very skilled group of RWs that play RBA style hockey. What I don’t see is all 3 of them + Nadeau on the same roster.

Even if Nadeau does prefer the left side, I doubt RBA would play him there. They now have Svechnikov, Hall, Martinook and Carrier on the left hand side and under contract nwzt year. Jarvis is obviously going nowhere. I’m starting to think Blake is getting to untouchable status. They leaves Stankoven and Nadeau. If they add the anticipated big name up front or most likely 2 big names up front via ufa or trade, there’s just not enough room.

Stankoven is a fit, I’m not so sure about Nadeau. He brings a skillet that the Hurricanes sorely lack, but is he ever going to be able to play the way RBA demands? Personally, I think there’s enough doubt there internally for the Canes that he’s the one most likely traded out of the smaller righties. I’d also hope they’d be very careful if they do consider trading Nadeau. This summer will be very interesting.

They may not see the same logjam I do up front so who knows. Maybe the plan is to ease Nadeau in next year on the 4th line and 2pp shooter’s role. I’d be perfectly fine with that too.

 

[Buenos Necas]

They're all playing so well that barring some huge name coming available I think you have to just let it ride. It does keep us small on the wing for now, but gotta give credit to all 3 of the NHL guys for not playing small by any means. Jarvis just works so well along the boards, Blake excels at navigating traffic through the middle of the ice, and Stankoven hasn't shied away from anything and acclimated very well in just a few weeks.

A few months ago I would've firmly been on board with using Blake as a prime trade piece, but man he's turned it on so much to end the season and now doing the same in Round 1...I don't think he's going anywhere. Rod sitting him for the last 2 games is pretty high praise, seems like he's firmly one of his guys now which is no easy task as a rookie.

Stankoven may be the odd man out eventually with both him and Blake as RFAs in 2026, the negotiations may force their hand. But he keeps looking better and better too so I'm in no rush to move him anywhere. I have to keep reminding myself he's still so young, it feels like he's been around much longer but he's just 6 months older than Blake.

Nadeau is looking like such found money for a late 1st round pick. That 50ft player who's lethal on the PP has been such a huge need, now that we have a chance to fill that with a homegrown player you have to let it play out. Given the logjam above, I think he'll start in Chicago again next year and they'll give him a bit more time to really build his body up before moving him into the lineup. He may end up like Necas as a great player who just didn't fit, but not giving him a chance to prove he can play the style Rod wants first would be a mistake.