The Hockey Hall of Fame is set to welcome former NHL defenceman Rob Blake as a member of the 2014 class.
Blake spent 20 seasons in the league, playing for the Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche, and San Jose Sharks. He tallied 240 goals and 777 points in 1,270 games, while manning the blueline with a physical edge.
In honour of one of the hardest hitting defencemen to lace ’em up, here are the top five moments from Rob Blake’s career.
5. The hits
Blake rattled bones and delivered ‘butt checks’ like very few others.
For all the leadership, offensive prowess, and all-star appearances that helped land him in the Hall of Fame, it’s the hits that stand as some of the most awe-inspiring representations of Blake’s career.
4. Captain of the Kings
The trade that sent Wayne Gretzky to St. Louis in 1996 signaled the end of an era in King hockey, but it also opened the door to Blake’s ascension to captain.
He would go on to serve as team captain until 2001 when he departed for Colorado. Blake returned to the Kings as a free agent for the 2006-07 season, and was named captain once again prior to the start of the ’07-08 campaign.
3. Blake and Team Canada capture Olympic gold
Blake represented Canada at the Olympics in 1998, 2002, and 2006. It was with the 2002 team that the rugged defenceman helped land his country its first hockey Olympic gold in 50 years.
The medal from Salt Lake City also helped Blake complete his quest to join the Triple Gold Club with a Stanley Cup, World Championship, and Olympic gold.
2. The Norris Trophy
Unfortunately for Blake, he played in an era that included Ray Bourque, Chris Chelios, Paul Coffey, Brian Leetch, Nicklas Lidstrom, Al MacInnis, Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, and Scott Stevens.
There weren’t enough Norris Trophies to go around for the league’s best defencemen.
Blake was named the Norris Trophy winner in 1998 following a season in which he scored 23 goals and 50 points. If it wasn’t for a crop of the greatest defencemen to ever play the game, Blake could have nabbed a little more personal hardware.
1. Stanley Cup
Blake’s first run with the Kings came to an end on February 21, 2001 when he was shipped to the Colorado Avalanche in a trade.
The bruising 6-foot-4, 220-pound blueliner racked up six goals and 19 points in 23 playoff games to help the Avalanche to their second Stanley Cup championship.
