It took little time for Jackson Blake to fit in with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Once he did, he earned an eight-year, $45 million contract he signed with the Hurricanes on July 24, 2025, after he had 34 points (17 goals, 17 assists) in 80 regular-season games as a rookie and six points (three goals, three assists) in 15 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Blake enjoyed a breakthrough 2025-26 season with 53 points (22 goals, 31 assists) in 81 games and scored at 5:31 of overtime to send the Hurricanes to the Eastern Conference Final with a 3-2 against the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 4 of the second round. At 22 years and 279 days, Blake became the second-youngest player in Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers history to score a series-clinching goal behind Ulf Samuelsson (22 years, 17 days in Game 3 of 1986 Adams Division Semifinals).

Blake became the third 20-point scorer in Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers Stanley Cup Playoffs history after Eric Staal (28 in 2006) and Cory Stillman (26 in 2006) to help Carolina win the Stanley Cup with a six-game victory against the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2026 Stanley Cup Final. He finished the playoffs with a team-high 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) and combined with linemates Taylor Hall and Logan Stankoven for 25 goals and 55 assists in the postseason, including 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in four potential series-clinching games.

The son of retired NHL forward Jason Blake was chosen in the fourth round (No. 109) of the 2021 NHL Draft. He was an NCAA star with the University of North Dakota and a 2024 Hobey Baker Memorial Award Hat Trick Finalist with Macklin Celebrini of Boston University and Cutter Gauthier of Boston College.

Blake turned pro after he had 60 points (22 goals, 38 assists) in 40 games as a sophomore for North Dakota, the program's highest single season scoring output since Brock Boeser's 60 in 2015-16 and was named National Collegiate Hockey Conference forward and player of the year. He had 102 points (38 goals, 64 assists) in 79 games in two seasons, becoming only the second player in school history in 30 years to reach 100 by his sophomore year, joining Zach Parise.

Blake joined the Hurricanes at the tail end of the 2023-24 season and made his NHL debut in Carolina's last game of the season, a 6-3 loss at the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 16.