When the Los Angeles Kings drafted Rob Blake with the 70th Overall Pick in 1988, they likely did not say internally that they drafted a player who would be one of the best Defensemen and prolific leaders in the game's history, but that is what they acquired. Blake, who was playing at Bowling Green when he was chosen, remained with the Falcons for another two years before joining the Kings at the tail end of the 1989-90 Season, giving Blake a taste of what he could do in an entire season.
Blake was an All-Rookie with 46 Points, and though he slipped to 20 Points the following year, he rebounded with 59 and 68 Points, respectively, the latter being a career-high and enough to earn him his first All-Star Game appearance. The Canadian was beset with injuries over the next two years, and Blake only appeared in 30 Games. Still recovering, Blake had 31 Points in the 1996-97 Season, which was good, but nothing to make you think that he would rise to the upper-tier of Defenseman. Everything was about to change in 1997.
Blake was healthy, and he scored an even 50 Points with a career-high 23 Goals. Not only that, his attention to his end of the ice improved, and along with his grit and aggression, Blake became one of the most complete players in the league. He won the Norris Trophy and was a First Team All-Star, making Blake the first Kings blueliner to earn those honors. He continued his momentum, scoring 59 Points in 1999-2000, and was a Second Team All-Star. Blake was on route to another 50-Point Season the following year, but it was destined to be split between two teams.
Although Blake was an incredible player, the team around him wasn’t, and the Kings went into rebuilding mode, trading away Blake to the powerful Colorado Avalanche. Blake helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup, and he earned Second Team All-Star accolades that year. Blake returned as a Free Agent to L.A. four years later, playing two more years in a Kings uniform before departing to San Jose to close his career.
In his second year of eligibility, Blake entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014, and his no.4 was retired by Los Angeles.
Comments powered by CComment