After scratching and clawing his way onto the roster during training camp, Jackson Blake has turned in an incredible rookie campaign. With 31 points in 77 games as we approach the end of the regular season, Blake has moved into the Top 10 in Hurricanes history in rookie scoring, tying himself with Eric Staal. His 15 goals are the 8th most for a rookie, though two goals could move him into the Top 5.
While his regular season has been solid, especially post-Christmas, the playoffs are another beast. One run for a rookie can turn you from an average player to a legend in just about two months. The Canes don't have a long history of outstanding rookie performances in the postseason, but there are a few who stand out above the rest.
Erik Cole was the first in 2002
After a lack of notable rookie performers during Hartford's days, Erik Cole was the first rookie to contribute a lot to a long Hurricanes run. Most of his damage came during their conference semifinal series with the Montreal Canadiens in 2002. It was a rather inauspicious start to the postseason for Cole, who had just three goals in the team's first nine games against New Jersey and Montreal.
Everything kicked into high gear during Game 4 of the Montreal series, most notably remembered as "The Molson Miracle". Cole scored the game-tying goal late in regulation to force overtime, erasing a 3-0 deficit before Niclas Wallin's overtime winner. Cole followed it up with two assists in Game 5, and two goals and an assist in Game 6 to lead an 8-2 series-clinching victory.
Cole's seven points during the Montreal series were second to Bates Battaglia's ten, which set the franchise record for points in a series, while his four goals tied Battaglia for the team lead. Cole finished the 2002 playoffs with six goals and nine points, both the most for a rookie in franchise history, though his points record has since been tied.
Cam Ward remains the gold standard
Obviously, winning the Stanley Cup is a very hard thing to do. The Hurricanes have only done it once in franchise history. That's why winning it as a rookie is such a cool thing to do, especially when some players wait a very long time to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time. In 2006, Cam Ward went from a relative unknown outside of Raleigh to a household name.
Taking over for Martin Gerber in Game 2 against the Canadiens, Ward turned the ship around. He won his first seven postseason starts, leading the comeback against Montreal before besting his childhood idol, Martin Brodeur, in five games in the conference semifinals. He briefly lost the net to Gerber in the conference finals against the Sabres, but was in it for the Game 7 victory.
Concluding with a seven-game victory over the Edmonton Oilers in the 2006 Stanley Cup Final, Ward was named the Conn Smythe Trophy recipient, posting a .920 save percentage and a 2.14 GAA in 23 games. His save in Game 7 remains one of the most iconic stops in franchise history, with this run beginning his long tenure as the Hurricanes' starter.
Modern performers
During this ongoing postseason streak, the Canes have gotten some big rookie performances a few years apart. In the initial return during the 2019 postseason, Warren Foegele earned his reputation as a Capitals killer. It even led to one of the more surreal moments involving a well-known Capitals fan. If you know, you know.
Foegele didn't have an exciting rookie season, scoring ten goals and 15 points in 77 games. However, he took his game to a different level in the first round against Washington. Foegele had two goals and an assist in Game 3, finishing the series with a team-high four goals and tying for second with six points. He collected nine points during the run, tying Cole for the franchise rookie record.
A few seasons later, it was a current Hurricane that took the postseason by storm. Seth Jarvis's rookie campaign was very solid, finishing with 40 points. He turned that into a very good playoff run, beginning with the opening goal in Game 1 of the 1st Round against Boston. Jarvis added a two-goal contest in Game 5, finishing the series with five points, before adding three assists against New York.
I'm not placing high expectations on Jackson Blake during his first postseason. However, if he's playing with Jarvis and Sebastian Aho, they will be relied upon to score goals. Otherwise, he could find himself falling down the lineup. There's nothing about his season that suggests he won't face the challenge head-on. Who knows? We could be looking at the game-changer of the playoffs.