RALEIGH, NC. - Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has signed forward Jackson Blake to a three-year, entry-level contract. Blake will receive $775,000 at the NHL level in 2023-24 and $832,500 at the NHL level in 2024-25 and 2025-26. He will receive $80,000 at the American Hockey League (AHL) level for all three seasons, and the deal will include a signing bonus of $277,500.
“Jackson is an explosive playmaker who has played a key role in North Dakota’s success over the past two seasons,” said Waddell. “Hockey is in his blood, and we can’t wait to see how his game continues to grow at the next level.”
Blake, 20, recorded 60 points (22g, 38a) in 40 NCAA games with North Dakota this season and ranks fourth in points and tied for third in assists among all Division I skaters. The 5’11”, 173-pound forward has been named a top-three finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the top player in college hockey. Blake registered an NCHC-record 37 points (11g, 26a) in 24 conference games, earning NCHC Player and Forward of the Year honors as well as unanimous selection to the All-NCHC First-Team. He posted 102 points (38g, 64a) in 79 career games with the Fighting Hawks, and he was also named the NCHC Rookie of the Year in 2022-23 after ranking seventh in points (42) among all Division I freshmen. Blake tallied a point in 60 of his 79 collegiate games, including 30 multi-point outings and 10 games with three or more points.
Blake spent parts of two USHL seasons with the Chicago Steel from 2021-22, earning 94 points (34g, 60a) in 86 contests and scoring the game-winning goal to clinch the Steel’s 2021 Clark Cup title. He also played two seasons of prep hockey at Eden Prairie High School from 2019-21, scoring the double-overtime winner to clinch the team’s state championship in 2021. The Fargo, N.D., native represented the United States at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, posting six points (1g, 5a) in seven games and winning a bronze medal. Blake was selected by Carolina in the fourth round, 109th overall, of the 2021 NHL Draft. His father, Jason, played 13 NHL seasons with Los Angeles, NY Islanders, Toronto and Anaheim from 1999-2012.
