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What was Dan Blackburn’s potential?

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Blackburn was supposed to be THE next Ranger goalie. I mean not like all those other THE Ranger super duper hyped prospect goalies like Steve Weeks, Cory Hirsch, Dan Cloutier and a cast of thousands I heard about since the 70's who wound up on the scrap heap of NHL history.
 
SA16 said:
He had the potential to block Lundqvist from becoming what he became.
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I think that's the interesting part. If Blackburn hadn't gotten hurt it would have had a massive impact on how this team played out over the two decades. Odds are Lundqvist either doesn't come over or ends up getting traded to another team. What impact does it have on Hank if he's on another team? How much impact did Allaire have on Hank's career? Blackburn was definitely good enough where you could see him blocking Hank, but it's also possible he would have just been like Vanbiesbrouck getting pushed out by Richter.
 
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He had a lot of potential and looked like a good one. Getting drafted by us during that time period though, was unfortunate for him.

I don't remember if it was said during a game or in print, but I believe another teams reporter noticed how during practices he didn't have anybody specifically working and teaching him. The organization was completely broken at that point, until Hank and Jagr took it over.
 
I don't think he was very great technically. I don't remember if he was pre Benoit Allaire or not. What I do remember is when he went post to post he always seemed to be lunging forward at the same time. He may make that first save but he was flat on his belly for any rebound. He was a pick from the dark ages though. Of a guy ever played a game in the NHL level back then he had the future of the whole franchise thrown on him. Like There's a reason you don't see a ton of 18 year olds in the NHL. They aren't ready. He could have been a player if they took their time and coached him, but they threw him right to the sharks instead and then gets hurt doing something he never would have done with a proper strength and conditioning coach.
 
Captain Monglobster said:
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.
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Kid was beyond outstanding.
legit star material

general agree with ^ except I think if we still only spend a 7th, then we take a look see at Hank
 
SML2 said:
I don't think he was very great technically. I don't remember if he was pre Benoit Allaire or not. What I do remember is when he went post to post he always seemed to be lunging forward at the same time. He may make that first save but he was flat on his belly for any rebound. He was a pick from the dark ages though. Of a guy ever played a game in the NHL level back then he had the future of the whole franchise thrown on him. Like There's a reason you don't see a ton of 18 year olds in the NHL. They aren't ready. He could have been a player if they took their time and coached him, but they threw him right to the sharks instead and then gets hurt doing something he never would have done with a proper strength and conditioning coach.
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I think Allaire came in right after his last season with the Rangers.
 
StaalsXpensiveCTDigs said:
He had top 10 goalie in the league potential. Ill never forget watching him play that first game after 9/11
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You're talking about the preseason game against Jersey? Because if I remember correctly the season opener was against Buffalo (without looking, 5-4 win with Leetch getting the winner?) and I thought Richter was in net.
 
So the Rangers had Sam St. Laurent as the goaltending consultant in the late 90s/early 2000s. I remember Sam and JD would say nice things about him, but the rumor (and it may have been from here) is that he was a real grouch and prick and did little to help Richter, McLean, Hebert, Yeremyev, Dunham, Blackburn, LaBaraberra, whoever was in New York or Hartford. That hurt Blackburn of course.

Allaire was hired during the 2004-05 lockout after he left Phoenix (money perhaps?)

Keeping him up with the big team was dumb. The Rangers back in those days always had one or two token young kids. They'd spend money on subpar players and block paths for years for players like Martin Richter or Marek Zidlicky, but have one really young kid in a limited role not getting enough minutes. It almost became a situation where the fan base would complain so one young player (Malholtra, Kloucek, Blackburn) would be up almost as a "see, we have young guys" to that section.

If developed correctly, Blackburn joins the team around 2003 and spends the lockout year in the AHL. Then in 2005-06 he splits time with Lundqvist, the later who eventually surpasses him by 2007-08. Blackburn I see as then traded for help in other areas. That first year would have been rough because the team in those days was a mess, but potential would have been shown. His season in the AHL during the lockout is most likely excellent.

Basically the way he should have been developed was maybe get in a few games after he had a great camp as a first year pro, sent back to juniors, and for two years see tons and tons of pucks where he dominates. Meeting Allaire down the road would help, and of course he is probably never in the situation where he gets injured in the first place.
 
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Fitzy said:
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.
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The Shit-box Era Pittsburgh Penguins. But I guess you have to do that after drafting a goalie with the #1OA pick in the greatest draft in history…

…and then are immediately rewarded for such utter shit-boxedness with Sidney Crosby…

…and then are post-immediately rewarded for such utter shit-boxedness with Evgeni Malkin.
 
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aufheben said:
The Shit-box Era Pittsburgh Penguins. But I guess you have to do that after drafting a goalie with the #1OA pick in the greatest draft in history…

…and then are immediately awarded for such utter shit-boxedness, with Sidney Crosby…

…and then are post-immediately awarded for such utter shit-boxedness, with Evgeni Malkin.
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Seriously, the poor kid…

…like imagine coming out of that historic draft, riding a legendary wave of Canadian talent…and at that fall you’re the last line of defense for the 2003-04 Pittsburgh Penguins (Spoiler: ten years later he’s seeing a Sports Psychiatrist).

2003-04 | 21 GP | 4-14-2 | .896 SV% | 3.64 GAA

…he didn’t even start in the AHL or anything; straight from the QMJHL to the NHL. :laugh:

That team’s leading scoring was Dick Tarnstrom. Who the f*** is Dick Tarnstrom?
 
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I loved him - I thought he was spectacular.

His injury - the Stefan Cherneski knee shatter / the Thomas Kloucek knee injury- are three that sicken me to this day.

Blackburn plays w Brian Mullen - Matteau and a few others for Rangers charity alumni games.

Great guys
 
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bobbop said:
Curtis Joseph clone.

Blackburn would have been a legit top ten goalie in the league for a decade or more.
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Saw this thread pop up on the main board, but this is basically the answer. Or if people want a newer answer, Tuuka Rask type goalie. Basically King Henrik would have been just a random draft pick that nobody would have given a second thought about.

It was a shame his injury happened. It was thought to be a death knell to his career, and ended up being one.
 
aufheben said:
Seriously, the poor kid…

…like imagine coming out of that historic draft, riding a legendary wave of Canadian talent…and at that fall you’re the last line of defense for the 2003-04 Pittsburgh Penguins (Spoiler: ten years later he’s seeing a Sports Psychiatrist).

2003-04 | 21 GP | 4-14-2 | .896 SV% | 3.64 GAA

…he didn’t even start in the AHL or anything; straight from the QMJHL to the NHL. :laugh:

That team’s leading scoring was Dick Tarnstrom. Who the f*** is Dick Tarnstrom?
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Fun fact: Fleury made 46 saves in his NHL debut, including a penalty shot save. The Kings beat the Penguins 3-0.
 
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