Forward led all NHL rookies in game-winning goals in 2024-25
RALEIGH, N.C. – Eric Tulsky, General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has signed forward Jackson Blake to an eight-year, $45 million contract extension, which will begin with the 2026-27 season.
“Jackson had an outstanding rookie season, and we think he is just scratching the surface of the player he can be,” said Tulsky. “His tenaciousness on the puck and competitiveness match our team’s culture and we’re excited about his future with our club.”
Blake, 21, netted 17 goals and added 17 assists (34 points) during his rookie season with the Hurricanes in 2024-25. Among NHL rookies, the 5’11”, 178-pound forward ranked first in game-winning goals (6), second in plus/minus (+10) and seventh in goals (17). His six game-winning goals are tied for the most in team history by a rookie. Blake appeared in all 15 of the Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup Playoff contests, registering six points (3g, 3a) to rank second among NHL rookies in playoff goals and points and tied for first in power-play goals.
Blake was selected by the Hurricanes in the fourth round, 109th overall, of the 2021 NHL Draft, and made his NHL debut for Carolina on April 16, 2024, against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Prior to turning professional, he spent two seasons at the University of North Dakota, scoring 38 goals and adding 64 assists (102 points) in 79 games. He registered 42 points (16g, 26a) during his freshman season in 2022-23, earning National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Rookie of the Year and Second All-Star Team honors. He was named a top-three finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the top Division I college hockey player in 2023-24, after totaling 60 points (22g, 38a) in 40 games during his sophomore season with the Fighting Hawks. He was also named the NCHC’s Player of the Year, Forward of the Year and to the NCHC’s First All-Star Team and was an NCAA (West) First-Team All-American.
A native of Fargo, N.D., Blake represented the United States at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, earning six points (1g, 5a) in seven games to win a bronze medal. His father, Jason, played 13 NHL seasons with Los Angeles, the New York Islanders, Toronto and Anaheim from 1999-2012.
Jackson Blake's going to be a heck of a player in this League.
Look at those soft mitts! 🧤
📺: @NHL_On_TNT & @SportsonMax ➡️ https://t.co/4TuyIATi3T pic.twitter.com/WcOQvBYLI8