Just one full season and only 81 career NHL games might seem like a somewhat small sample size for a maximum-term commitment, but what Eric Tulsky and staff had seen from Blake as he vied to make the team last summer, and his early returns after doing so, left them with no reservations about giving the 21-year-old an eight-year contract extension.
Saying that Blake “set the pace” for the group going into the season, it was just another sign that the 2021 fourth-round pick was ready for the big time.
“I don’t think people appreciate how he has gone from high school, to the USHL, to college, to an NHL fourth line, to an NHL top line, and not missed a beat. Every step, he’s made look easy,” Carolina’s GM said as he met with reporters on Wednesday morning. “It’s because he’s such a professional and he works so hard.”
Going directly from the college game to knocking on the door of being a 20-goal scorer, as a mid-round draft pick without a single game in the minor leagues, is extremely rare. Blake credited his head coach for the way he handled the jump, continuously setting the young forward up for success.
“Rod did a good job with me. He knew that maybe playing less minutes the first half, seeing the game, and developing me that way (was best)… he did a really good job,” he praised. “When he thought I was comfortable or ready to take the next step, he gave me the opportunity, and I took advantage of it… That was huge for my confidence to grow into the player I can be.”
