Rob Blake

1.1. Junior and College Career

Blake began his junior hockey career playing for the Brantford Classics in the Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League (GHL) during the 1985-86 season, where he recorded 16 points (3 goals, 13 assists) in 39 games. The following season, 1986-87, he played for the Stratford Cullitons in the Mid-Western Junior Hockey League (MWJHL), tallying 31 points (11 goals, 20 assists) and 115 penalty minutes in 31 games.

He was selected 70th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft after completing his freshman year with Bowling Green State University. During his three years in the college ranks with the Bowling Green Falcons of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), Blake earned numerous accolades. In the 1988-89 season, he was named to the All-CCHA Second Team. The following year, in the 1989-90 season, Blake became the first player to ever receive the CCHA Best Offensive Defenseman award. That same season, he was also selected to the All-CCHA First Team and the CCHA All-Tournament Team. His collegiate success continued as he was named an AHCA West First-Team All-American in 1991. After his third year, Blake chose to forgo his final season of college eligibility to join the Kings professionally.

2.1. Los Angeles Kings (First Stint)

Blake joined the Los Angeles Kings for the final four games of the 1989-90 season. In his NHL rookie campaign in 1990-91, he quickly made an impact, scoring 46 points, which earned him a spot on the NHL All-Rookie Team. After a productive third season where he recorded 59 points, Blake played a crucial role in leading the Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, where they were ultimately defeated by the Montreal Canadiens in five games. The subsequent season, 1993-94, saw Blake achieve a career-high 48 assists and 68 points, though the Kings failed to qualify for the playoffs.

During the 1995-96 season, Blake was limited to just six games due to injury. Following the trade of team captain Wayne Gretzky at the trade deadline that season, Blake was named the 11th captain in Kings history prior to the 1996-97 season. In the 1997-98 season, Blake achieved a significant milestone, receiving the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best defenceman after recording a career-high 23 goals and 50 points. This performance also earned him a selection to the NHL First All-Star team.

On February 21, 2001, with Blake nearing unrestricted free agency, the Kings traded him and Steven Reinprecht to the Colorado Avalanche. In return, the Kings received Adam Deadmarsh, Aaron Miller, Jared Aulin, and a first-round draft pick which was later used to select Dave Steckel.

2.2. Colorado Avalanche

After 11 seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, Blake made an immediate impact upon joining the Colorado Avalanche late in the 2000-01 season, contributing 10 points in his final 13 regular-season games after the trade. In the 2001 playoffs, he faced his former team, the Kings, in a second-round series. Blake then went on to win his first and only Stanley Cup as a player with the Avalanche, tallying 19 points in 23 playoff games. His overall performance during the regular season, with 59 points in 67 games, earned him a selection to the NHL Second All-Star team.

On July 1, 2001, Blake re-signed with the Avalanche on a five-year contract with an optional sixth year. As the Avalanche's top defenceman, he recorded his highest point total with the team in the 2001-02 season, with 56 points in 75 games, placing him third among NHL defencemen. However, the Avalanche's defence of the Stanley Cup ended in the Western Conference Finals against the Detroit Red Wings. For the third consecutive season, Blake was selected to the NHL Second All-Star team.

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

Following the 2004-05 NHL lockout, Blake returned for his final season under contract with the Avalanche in 2005-06. He maintained his strong offensive presence, recording 51 points in 81 games, marking the seventh time in his career he surpassed the 50-point mark. On April 3, 2006, against the Chicago Blackhawks, he scored his 200th career NHL goal, becoming only the 17th defenceman in NHL history to achieve this milestone.

2.3. Los Angeles Kings (Second Stint)

After five years with the Colorado Avalanche, the team did not exercise their option for the 2006-07 season, making Rob Blake an unrestricted free agent. On July 1, 2006, he re-signed with his former team, the Los Angeles Kings, on a two-year contract worth 6.00 M USD per year.

Despite coming off a 51-point season with Colorado, Blake's offensive production saw a dip upon his return to Los Angeles, as he recorded 34 points in the 2006-07 season, his lowest total since 1996-97. Nevertheless, prior to the start of the 2007-08 season, Blake was re-appointed as team captain on September 28, 2007, following the departure of Mattias Norström to the Dallas Stars.

2.4. San Jose Sharks

After once again becoming an unrestricted free agent, Rob Blake signed a one-year, 5.00 M USD contract with the Kings' Pacific Division rival, the San Jose Sharks, on July 3, 2008. In his inaugural season in San Jose during the 2008-09 campaign, Blake once more reached the 40-point plateau, tallying 10 goals and 35 assists.

Blake extended his contract with the Sharks, re-signing for another year at 3.50 M USD to avoid free agency. Approximately six weeks after former captain Patrick Marleau was stripped of the role by Sharks management, Blake was named the captain of the Sharks for the 2009-10 season.

7.1. Regular season and playoffs

7.2. International