A King Among Legends; The Rob Blake Story

As I did following Griffey's surprising retirement from baseball earlier this month, I want to take time out to pay the athletic respects to another great player of my generation, this time in hockey. Rob Blake officially announced that this past season, his 20th in the NHL, was his last and he is retiring as a player. While unlike Griff this was not exactly shocking news since he had nothing left to play for and just finished another long playoff run. However, when an athlete of his stature calls it quits it is important to reflect upon why this was man was in fact great.

Rob Blake flew under the radar for most of his career. This even happened when playing his prime seasons in the second biggest market in the country, Los Angeles. The reason for this is simple actually, he played in perhaps the best era in NHL history for defensemen. Legends such as Chris Chelios, Nicklas Lidstrom, Chris Pronger, and Scott Niedermayer manned the blue line in the last 20 years and are all going to the Hall of Fame someday. While unlike how enshrinement is constantly discussed in terms of their careers, Blake is also worthy of the honor but doesn't get the hype. I placed him as an honorable mention for the last decades best and that wasn't even the best 10 year period of his career.

Blake was drafted in the 4th round, 70th overall by the Kings in the 1988 NHL draft, the same draft class of Mike Modano, another potential retiree. He played in only 4 games the following season but then took off at the start of the 90's. He joined the league the same time Gretzky moved from his glory days of winning cups to a role as hockey savior in the United States, LA. In 1990 Blake netted 46 points in 75 games along with 125 penalty minutes. Just two years later he along with the entire Kings roster found his stride. Blake picked up his first of 7 50+ point seasons, totaling 59. That season, 1993, saw California host its first Stanley Cup game, the Kings reached their first cup final in franchise history. Blake was obviously a key cog along with Gretzky and Luc Robitaille. Even though the Kings did not capture the cup, they lost to Montreal, without this appearance hockey in California may have never witnessed a championship, it finally did with the Ducks in 2007.

Fast forward 7 seasons and following 4 more 40+ point seasons, 2 more 50+, a 68 point campaign, and a Norris Trophy (best defenseman of regular season) Blake's time with the Kings was coming to a close. He would be traded to one of the West power houses at the time, Colorado, to join mission 16 W. This mission was created to obtain the first career title for top 5 dman in history, Ray Bourque. Despite not getting the press Bourque's cause would see, Blake was equally as motivated looking to pick up his first ring as well. The Avs would capture the 20001 Stanley Cup after defeating New Jersey in a classic 7 game series. Blake's total effort that year was 1 shy of his second 60 point year.

He would follow that season by blasting 56 points on the stat sheet the next season. The Avs would lose the most star studded series filled with at least 15 current or future hall of famers, the Detroit RedWings would win that rivalry with a devastating 7-0 victory in the 7th game of the Western Conference Finals against Colorado. While that loss would mark the closest Blake would ever get to sipping from Lord Stanley's Cup again his individual success did not stall. He accumulated 4 more 40+ point years and even a 51 point season, his last in Denver. In 2006 Blake would return to LA for a second Kings stint. These Kings teams were rebuilding and never contenders but he was able to wear the "C" as a team captain for the first time. Blake fully cemented his place among the franchises best and guaranteed his jersey will be raised to the rafters someday. The last 2 years he stayed in Cali to chase a second ring with San Jose and continued to wear a C. The Sharks continued to under achieve but his career did not need any validation.

On top of his NHL career Blake also competed in 6 World Championships and 3 Olympics as a member of team Canada. During his international career he obtained 2 gold medals at the Worlds and an Olympic gold from the curse breaking 2002 Canadian team. You guessed it, he's in THAT club. He is one of only 24 players and 1 coach, Mike Babcock, in the Triple Gold Club having earned a WC gold medal, an Olympic gold medal, and a Stanley Cup ring.

Rob Blake played his prime in an era that included legends such as Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Joe Sakic, Mike Modano, and Brendan Shanahan as well as time that witnessed young studs like Crosby, Iginla, and Ovechkin begin to write their amazing careers. I guarantee all of those players along with the other greats of the time will label Blake as a hall of famer, he gave many of them fits trying to get by him. Blake also was able to put the biscuit in the basket 240 times (10th most ever for a defenseman) past the likes of Dominik Hasek, Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur, Ed Belfour, and Curtis Joseph just to name a few.

Hockey's #4, Rob Blake final stat line looks like this: 1,270 GP, 240 Goals, 537 Assists, 777 Points, 1,679 PIM, 136 PPG, 243 PPA, 4 SHG, 15 SHA, 41 GW, on 3,896 shots.