Rob Blake

Last updated

Rob Blake
Hockey Hall of Fame, 2014
Rob Blake - 2014.jpg
Blake in 2014
Born (1969-12-10) December 10, 1969 (age 53)
Simcoe, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 225 lb (102 kg; 16 st 1 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Right
Played for Los Angeles Kings
Colorado Avalanche
San Jose Sharks
National teamFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
NHL Draft 70th overall, 1988
Los Angeles Kings
Playing career 1989–2010
Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Olympic Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2002 Salt Lake City
World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1994 Italy
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1997 Finland
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1991 Finland
World Cup
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1996 World Cup of Hockey

Robert Bowlby Blake (born December 10, 1969) is a Canadian professional ice hockey executive and former player. He is the current general manager of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was originally drafted by the Kings in 1988, appearing in the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy and serving as team captain for five seasons in his initial 11-season stint with the club. In 2001, Blake was traded to the Colorado Avalanche and was a member of their 2001 Stanley Cup championship team. It was his only Stanley Cup as a player, though he won the Cup again as a member of the Kings' front office in 2014. After a two-season return to Los Angeles, Blake signed with the San Jose Sharks in 2008, retiring as its captain after the 2009–10 season. Four years later, in 2014, Blake was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Contents

Internationally, Blake played for Canada in three consecutive Winter Olympics in 1998, 2002 and 2006, winning gold in 2002 and becoming the 11th member of the Triple Gold Club. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2018.

Playing career

Los Angeles Kings (1990–2001)

Blake was selected 70th overall in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings. He had completed his freshman year with Bowling Green State University of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) when he was drafted and went on to play three years total in the college ranks, earning CCHA and NCAA West first All-Star team honours in 1990. Blake was also the first player to ever receive the CCHA Best Offensive Defenseman award. Foregoing his final season of college eligibility, Blake joined the Kings for the final four games of the 1989–90 season before scoring 46 points in his NHL rookie campaign in 1990–91 to be named to the NHL All-Rookie Team.

After a 59-point campaign in his third season, Blake helped lead the Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, where they were defeated in five games by the Montreal Canadiens. The following season, in 1993–94, Blake improved to a career-high 48 assists and 68 points, but the Kings failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Blake in his second tenure with the Kings in 2008. Rob Blake.jpg
Blake in his second tenure with the Kings in 2008.

In a season where Blake was kept to just six games due to injury, the Kings traded captain Wayne Gretzky to the St. Louis Blues at the 1995–96 trade deadline, leaving the team's captaincy vacant. Blake was named the 11th captain in team history prior to the 1996–97 season. [1] In 1997–98, Blake received the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best defenceman after recording a career-high 23 goals to go with 50 points.

On February 21, 2001, with Blake about to become an unrestricted free agent in the 2001 off-season, the Kings traded him (along with Steven Reinprecht) to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Adam Deadmarsh, Aaron Miller, Jared Aulin and a first-round pick (used to select Dave Steckel). [2]

Colorado Avalanche (2001–2006)

After 11 seasons in Los Angeles, Blake joined Colorado late in the 2000–01 season and made an immediate impact, scoring 10 points in the final 13 games of the regular season after being traded. In the 2001 playoffs, he played a second-round series against his former club, the Kings, before he won his first and only Stanley Cup with the Avalanche, adding 19 points in 23 playoff games. In totalling 59 points in 67 games in the regular season, Blake was selected to the NHL second All-Star team.

On July 1, 2001, Blake re-signed with the Avalanche in the off-season to a five-year contract with an optional sixth year. [3] As the Avalanche's top defenceman, Blake recorded his highest total with the Avalanche in recording 56 points in 75 games, third amongst NHL defenceman, in the 2001–02 season, before falling in their defence of the Stanley Cup in the Western Conference finals to the Detroit Red Wings. For his third successive season, Blake was selected to the NHL second All-Star team. [4]

In the following 2002–03 season, Blake recorded his 500th career point against the Minnesota Wild on October 29, 2002. In finishing fifth in Norris Trophy voting, Blake placed second amongst Avalanche defenceman with 45 points in 79 games. In each of his first three seasons with the Avalanche, he was selected to the NHL All-Star Game, and in the 2003–04 campaign, he was selected as a starter for the 2004 All-Star Game in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He finished the season with the Avalanche, placing ninth in the NHL amongst defenceman with 46 points.

After losing a season to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Blake returned for his final season under contract with the Avalanche in 2005–06. He continued his scoring presence amongst the Avalanche in recording 51 points in 81 games, the seventh time in his career he surpassed the 50-point plateau. On April 3, 2006, against the Chicago Blackhawks, he scored his 200th career NHL goal to become just the 17th defenceman all-time to reach the mark. [5]

Return to Los Angeles (2006–2008)

After five years with Colorado, the Avalanche chose not to pick up his contract option for the 2006–07 season, making him a free agent. On July 1, 2006, he re-signed with his former team, the Los Angeles Kings, for two years at $6 million per year. [6]

Having come off a 51-point campaign with Colorado the previous year, Blake's production dipped upon his return to Los Angeles. He recorded 34 points in 2006–07 for his lowest total since 1996–97. Nevertheless, prior to the start of the 2007–08 season, Blake was renamed team captain on September 28, 2007, after previous captain Mattias Norström's departure to the Dallas Stars. [7]

San Jose Sharks (2008–2010)

Blake with the San Jose Sharks. Rob Blake Sharks.jpg
Blake with the San Jose Sharks.

Becoming an unrestricted free agent once more in the 2008 off-season, on July 3, 2008, Blake signed a one-year, US$5 million contract with the Kings' Pacific Division rival San Jose Sharks. [8] Blake reached the 40-point plateau once more with the Sharks, tallying 10 goals and 35 assists in his first season in San Jose.

Blake extended his contract with the Sharks, re-signing for another year at $3.5 million to avoid free agency. Blake would be named captain of the Sharks approximately six weeks after previous captain Patrick Marleau was stripped of the role by Sharks management.

Retirement

On June 18, 2010, Blake announced his final retirement from professional hockey. [9] On March 3, 2011, during a Los Angeles Kings telecast, Blake discussed his post-playing career as a hockey operations manager for the NHL, based in Toronto. Blake said, "This job kind of developed over the summer (of 2010) in talking with Brendan Shanahan. I played for a while in the NHL (20 years). As a former player, I can provide the league with some insight in various aspects of the game. I was able to stay on the West Coast (and commute to Toronto for work), so it worked out really well." {interview by LA Kings telecasters during broadcast 3/3/11} He continued, "I watch the game much differently now, just because I've been in Toronto, in the war room. Now, I watch the game and see the calls that are made as well as the ones which weren't but should have been." {interview by LA Kings telecasters during broadcast 3/3/11}

On August 11, 2014, the Los Angeles Kings announced they would be retiring Blake's number 4 jersey on January 17, 2015. [10] He was later selected to the Colorado Avalanche's 20th anniversary team honoured on December 8, 2015. [11]

Executive career

Before the 2013–14 season, the Los Angeles Kings hired Blake as assistant general manager. The Kings won the Stanley Cup in his first year. As the assistant general manager to the Kings, he also acted as the general manager for their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliates, the Manchester Monarchs (2013–2015) and the Ontario Reign (2015–).

Blake was also selected by Hockey Canada to be their general manager for the 2014 IIHF World Championship. [12]

On April 10, 2017, the Kings named Blake the vice-president and general manager of the team. [13]

Personal life

Blake and his wife Brandy have three children, sons Jack and Max, and daughter Brooke. [14] His best friend is former NHL goaltender Dwayne Roloson, with whom he grew up playing hockey in Simcoe, Ontario. He is also distantly related to Hall of Famer Red Kelly. In 2008, Blake appeared in the Mike Myers film The Love Guru as himself. [15] A short street in his hometown of Simcoe, Rob Blake Way, is named after him. [16]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1985–86 Brantford Classics GHL 393131643—————
1986–87 Stratford Cullitons MWJHL 31112031115—————
1987–88 Bowling Green Falcons CCHA 43581388—————
1988–89 Bowling Green FalconsCCHA46112132140—————
1989–90 Bowling Green FalconsCCHA42233659140—————
1989–90 Los Angeles Kings NHL 4000481344
1990–91 Los Angeles KingsNHL751234461251214526
1991–92 Los Angeles KingsNHL5771320102621312
1992–93 Los Angeles KingsNHL7616435915223461046
1993–94 Los Angeles KingsNHL84204868137—————
1994–95 Los Angeles KingsNHL24471138—————
1995–96 Los Angeles KingsNHL61238—————
1996–97 Los Angeles KingsNHL628233182—————
1997–98 Los Angeles KingsNHL812327509440006
1998–99 Los Angeles KingsNHL62122335128—————
1999–00 Los Angeles KingsNHL7718395711240224
2000–01 Los Angeles KingsNHL5417324969—————
2000–01 Colorado Avalanche NHL1328108236131916
2001–02 Colorado AvalancheNHL751640565820661216
2002–03 Colorado AvalancheNHL791728455771238
2003–04 Colorado AvalancheNHL741333466190556
2005–06 Colorado AvalancheNHL811437519493148
2006–07 Los Angeles KingsNHL7214203482—————
2007–08 Los Angeles KingsNHL719223198—————
2008–09 San Jose Sharks NHL7310354511061344
2009–10 San Jose SharksNHL7072330601511210
NHL totals1,2702405377771,679146264773166

International

YearTeamEventResult GPGAPtsPIM
1991 Canada WC Silver medal icon.svg20220
1994 CanadaWCGold medal icon.svg80226
1996 Canada WCH Silver medal icon.svg40110
1997 CanadaWCGold medal icon.svg1122422
1998 Canada OG 4th61122
1998 CanadaWC6th51016
1999 CanadaWC4th1025712
2002 CanadaOGGold medal icon.svg61232
2006 CanadaOG7th60112
Senior totals587162352

Awards and honours

AwardYear
College
All-CCHA Second Team 1989 [17]
CCHA Best Offensive Defenseman 1990
All-CCHA First Team 1990 [17]
CCHA All-Tournament Team 1990 [18]
AHCA West First-Team All-American 1991 [19]
NHL
NHL All-Rookie Team 1991
NHL All-Star Game 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
James Norris Memorial Trophy 1998
NHL first All-Star team 1998
NHL second All-Star team 2000, 2001, 2002
Stanley Cup champion 2001, 2014 (as executive)
International
Best Defenseman 1997
WC All-Star team1997
IIHF Hall of Fame 2018 [20] [21]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Tardif Assigned to Phoenix". Los Angeles Times. October 2, 1996. Retrieved August 25, 2023. Defenseman Rob Blake, who is battling an arm injury, was named team captain but remains questionable for the opener.
  2. ↑ "Avs hope Blake puts them over the top". ESPN.com. 2001-02-21. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
  3. ↑ "Sakic, Roy and Blake re-sign with Avalanche". Los Angeles Times . 2001-07-01. Retrieved 2001-07-01.
  4. ↑ "Rob Blake biography". Los Angeles Kings. 2014-05-16. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
  5. ↑ "Avalanche rally past Blackhawks". highbeam.com. 2006-04-03. Archived from the original on 2016-02-20. Retrieved 2006-04-05.
  6. ↑ "Blake, Kings agree on a two-year contract". ESPN.com. 2006-07-01. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
  7. ↑ "Kings announce Captains". Los Angeles Kings. 2007-09-28. Archived from the original on 2009-03-05. Retrieved 2008-01-22.
  8. ↑ "San Jose Sharks sign veteran Rob Blake to $5 million, one year deal". thehockeynews.com. 2008-07-03. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
  9. ↑ "Sharks defenceman Blake retires". CBC. June 18, 2010. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
  10. ↑ "Los Angeles Kings announce plans to retire Rob Blake's No. 4 jersey on Jan. 17". The Hockey News. August 11, 2014. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Avs 20th anniversary team:Rob Blake". Colorado Avalanche. 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-12-08.
  12. ↑ "ROB BLAKE NAMED GENERAL MANAGER OF CANADA'S NATIONAL MEN'S TEAM FOR 2014 IIHF ICE HOCKEY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP". hockeycanada.ca. March 26, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  13. ↑ "AEG Announces Front Office Changes for LA Kings". NHL.com. April 10, 2017. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Kings welcome back captain Rob Blake". Los Angeles Kings. 2006-07-01. Retrieved 2007-12-05.
  15. ↑ "Kings defenseman Rob Blake makes an appearance in upcoming movie Love Guru". proathletesonly.com. 2008-02-04. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  16. ↑ "Google Maps, Rob Blake Way". Google Maps. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
  17. 1 2 "CCHA All-Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  18. ↑ "2012–13 CCHA Media Guide". ISSUU.com. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
  19. ↑ "Men's Ice Hockey Award Winners" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  20. ↑ Johnston, Mike (1 December 2017). "Alfredsson, Blake, Chelios, Lehtinen named IIHF Hall of Fame inductees". Sportsnet . Toronto, Ontario. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  21. ↑ Sanful, John (20 May 2018). "IIHF Hall of Fame inducts new members". International Ice Hockey Federation . Retrieved 24 August 2021.
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