What was Dan Blackburn’s potential?

[AIexisLafreniereNYR]

Just randomly thought of Blackburn. I starting consciously watching during Lundqvist’s rookie season. Never watched him play or was too young to understand the hype of a prospect. But I was always told Blackburn was a very highly regarded prospect until his injury.

Just saw he’s just 38 as well, still fairly young.

How good would he have been if his injury never happened?

Click to read more...

 

[Synergy27]

I always thought he had the potential to completely change how the position was played. Like different equipment and everything. He was a true visionary. The Elon Musk of hockey.

 

[nyr2k2]

I think he had All Star potential. I remember seeing him play a game in Washington, he gave up six goals but stopped 45 and made some really awesome saves. He was only 18 or 19. I remember most of the Capitals fans even were like, "Whoa, that kid is going to be amazing." Really, really unfortunate how it ended for him.

 

[ecemleafs]

we were absolute awful when he came up. i was excited about his potential. would have been an interesting dynamic if he didnt get injured. he was pretty much the same age as henke.

 

[Shadowtron]

I was at the MSG draft party the year they picked Montoya. Blackburn was on the stage, but he had already been injured. Man did the crowd boo when the picked Montoya lol.

 

[Kocur Dill]

Acrobatic like Richter.
Clearly modeled his technique after Roy.

If only we could have seen what could have been had he not gotten injured.

 

[RGY]

Really thought he was the next #1 for a long time, finding a replacement to Richter which I thought we wouldn’t (and really didn’t) find for a long time. He was talented. He was good. But he was also very young when he broke in so its hard to really tell how his career would have played out. However, in the short sample size he was impressive, especially with having a lackluster team in front of him. Its too bad, I do think he would have made quite a few ASG appearances

 

[Brief Candle]

I remember being SO hyped on him. He really was something else. I was gutted when the news went out that his injury was career-ending.

 

[huerter]

His best attribute was that he could move on quickly from giving up a goal. At least that's what JD would say every time he gave up a goal.

 

[Fitzy]

It's hard to put what we saw as Ranger fans in perspective because... seriously... who plays an 18 year old goalie in the NHL.

I was pretty excited (but upset to lose Cloutier) when we traded Cloutier for the pick to choose Brendl. But Richter was still pretty well on his game at that point and it was time for Cloutier to see if he could be a starter elsewhere.

Watching Blackburn play with two blockers in the ECHL was interesting, though I can't see any way a goalie would be able to stick in the NHL with that kind of handicap nowadays anyways. It was odd enough that Manny Legace "Flipped" his stick for so many years, now we barely even have any right catching goalies.

 

[mike14]

His potential was pretty damn high I felt.

It would have been interesting to see the goalie duel in 05-06 if Blackburn never got injured, played a good 03-04 season with the Rangers and continued to develop overseas in the lockout year. Is Hank bought over with the view that he's the backup? How much rope does the organization give Blackburn to let him prove he's the #1?

There wasn't much else there anyway, and our scouting/drafting kinda sucked, but it also would have been interesting to see who we took at #6 in 04, as I can't imagine we go Montoya with a healthy Blackburn

 

[FoxysExpensiveNYDigs]

He had top 10 goalie in the league potential. Ill never forget watching him play that first game after 9/11

 

[HFsNumber1Heel]

Starting goalie for about 2-3 years until Lundqvist came on the scene. He would have been dealt in either 2006-07 or 2007-08 for cap purposes.

 

[AIexisLafreniereNYR]

Really interesting to hear your pov then. Shesty is the first superstar goalie i witnessed growing each year as a top tier goalie develop. I would’ve felt god damn terrible we lost a franchise goalie at 18. Poor guy. Would’ve set an interesting situation had he never got injured with Lundqvist coming a long. Literally two superstar goaltenders the same age but Blackburn would’ve had 5-6 years on him in the NHL. Would’ve changed the Rangers future for better or worse.

 

[jay from jersey]

Blackburn certainly had the pedigree and the talent to be a quality NHL starter for years. A legit 1 goalie any team would have liked to have.
He was also very mature and level headed for an 18 -19 year old kid.
He showed a lot of heart, even tried to come back and play with 2 blockers when the nerves in his glove hand side didn’t work anymore.
It’s really a shame what happened to him with injuries.
Rangers are cursed and should avoid drafting goalies early.
Blackburn’s career ruined by injuries before it could get off the ground, Montoya just sucked he, plain and simple. Lindblom in the 2nd........? Why? That doesn’t look to be a wise Pick.
Took Cloutier 26OA. His best years came as a Canuck. The highlight of his NYR career is when he skated down and kicked the shit out of the isles goalie when everyone was fighting...
We just don’t do well with early picks and Goalies.

Thank god they have been able to identify quality guys in the later rounds.
Hank was a miracle/ god send. Perhaps best NyR goalie ever.
Shesty so far has been great besides the right knee injuries. Hopefully he can adjust and stop it from happening, at least not once a season...
Garand looks like he may have what it takes to be a future quality starter in the NHL as well.
He’s certainly improved his stock since he was selected. Time will tell with him. Hopefully he keeps playing lights out hockey.

 

[Captain Monglobster]

If he hadnt gotten injured I dont think we wouldve seen Lundqvist in Rangers blue. Not saying he wouldve been better, just that the opportunity for Hank wouldnt have been there.

Kid was 18 making highlight reel saves in a complete dogshit team. This was the dark ages. Like others have said he had all star potential.

 

[bobbop]

Curtis Joseph clone.

Blackburn would have been a legit top ten goalie in the league for a decade or more.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

If he hadnt gotten injured I dont think we wouldve seen Lundqvist in Rangers blue. Not saying he wouldve been better, just that the opportunity for Hank wouldnt have been there.

Kid was 18 making highlight reel saves in a complete dogshit team. This was the dark ages. Like others have said he had all star potential.

Was so stoked about Blackburn, he was so incredibly young coming in as a goalie. Was really disappointed when he got injured, so weird.

But had he made it I was gonna say exactly what you said. Who knows if Hank wouldve even been drafted let alone given a shot to play had Blackie never got hurt. Hank being drafted was a last minute decision in and of itself. If Dan was going strong they likely would've just passed over him. Funny how things work out.

 

[Crease]

He was very very good. Above-average starter potential, and the lone bright spot on some very bad Rangers teams. I read somewhere that he intentionally forfeited his contract insurance proceeds to attempt a comeback.

 

[Shadowtron]

Was so stoked about Blackburn, he was so incredibly young coming in as a goalie. Was really disappointed when he got injured, so weird.

But had he made it I was gonna say exactly what you said. Who knows if Hank wouldve even been drafted let alone given a shot to play had Blackie never got hurt. Hank being drafted was a last minute decision in and of itself. If Dan was going strong they likely would've just passed over him. Funny how things work out.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think Hank was drafted the year prior to the Blackburn draft.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think Hank was drafted the year prior to the Blackburn draft.

Wow you are right. Goes to show how young Blackburn was when he started.

 

[Thirty One]

He is the origin of my username.

He could have been very good.

 

[Lindberg Cheese]

Dark years. This thread ruined my Xmas, thanks!

 

[MrAlmost]

Perhaps nostalgia gets to some of us as we remember a player that got his career ended by injury when things looked promising, and was, honestly, the only bright spot on abysmal Rangers teams.

He was good, though. Maybe some All-Star appearances if the right team was in front of him. Hard to tell if he would have gone all the way though. He was so young, but he was great at every level he played.

Like Cherepanov, Cherneski, Sauer and Staal, wearing this jersey is dangerous. :-(

 

[SA16]

He had the potential to block Lundqvist from becoming what he became.