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Rob Blake News & Rumors

Blake ends his career with 'no regrets'
June 19
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"In a move expected since the end of the Sharks' season, team captain Rob Blake announced his retirement Friday at HP Pavilion. "I have no regrets," Blake said. "I knew it was the right time." Blake came to that conclusion quite a while ago, he said after a morning news conference. He realized in late December, after his 40th birthday, that he was ready to end his 20-year NHL career. Blake described his time in pro hockey as "a dream." He won a Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2001, and he was a Norris Trophy-winning defenseman. He is considered a lock to go into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility after scoring 777 points. After taking some time off during the next few months,"
Rob Blake: 'It was a dream and I can sit up here and say I was lucky enough to live it'
June 19
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Rob Blake made it official. After 1,720 NHL games, one Stanley Cup championship, three Olympic appearances on Team Canada and five world championships, his days as a player ended today with his retirement announcement. "It was a dream," he said of the chance to compete in the NHL, "and I can sit up here and say I was lucky enough to live it." As to what comes next, it was Sharks GM Doug Wilson who first hinted at the possibilities when he addressed Blake's wife, Brandy, and said: "When you get a little tired of him hanging around the house, give me a call and we'll find something to do to keep him busy." Blake said later that he planned to stay away from the game between now and the"
Sharks defenceman Blake retires after 20 seasons
June 19
Vancouver Province
 
"After more than 1,400 NHL games, a Stanley Cup title and an Olympic gold medal, Rob Blake knew it was time to call it quits. The veteran San Jose Sharks defenceman officially announced his retirement on Friday, wrapping up a stellar career that spanned 20 seasons with four teams. "Definitely the physical, the mental, it just seemed like the right time," Blake told the news conference. "I've enjoyed the 20 years, but it's time to move on to a new step in hockey and that's what I'm looking forward to." The 40-year-old native of Simcoe, Ont., was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round (70th overall) in the 1988 NHL entry draft. He played three seasons with Bowling Green State"
Sharks' Rob Blake retires after 20-year career
June 19
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Growing up on a farm in the Canadian province of Ontario, young Rob Blake figured life was mapped out for him. He would get his hands dirty working the land — growing corn, wheat and soybeans. Then hockey got in the way. And, oh, the places the game took him. But Friday, after an NHL career that spanned 20 seasons with three teams and included a Stanley Cup title, an Olympic gold medal and a Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman, Blake made it official that he is hanging up his skates. "You dreamt of this, but never could you envision it," Blake said of his lengthy tenure in the NHL. Although the Sharks' 40-year-old captain said he felt physically capable of playing another season,"
Blake news conference: Reports say retirement immanent
June 18
NHL.com
 
"The NHL Network will air San Jose Sharks defenseman Rob Blake's news conference live Friday at 2 p.m. ET. It will also be streamed on NHL.com. Media reports have indicated that Blake, 40, will retire. He hinted at retirement after the Sharks were swept in the Western Conference finals by the Chicago Blackhawks last month, saying he had decided his future plans but wanted to wait a few weeks before announcing them. Blake, 40, was one of the NHL's best defensemen over his career with Los Angeles, Colorado and San Jose, making seven All-Star teams and winning the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman while with Los Angeles in 1998."
Formal announcement on Blake's future set for Friday
June 15
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Again, sometimes it's possible to not be working — the hiatus continues — and still have information to pass along. Like now. The Sharks let the media know today that Rob Blake will talk about his future at an 11 a.m. press conference this coming Friday. It's no secret, of course, that Blake will be announcing his retirement, but the team played it coy in its heads-up to reporters. Since the only real suspense surrounding Blake is whether he'll immediately slide into a front-office job someplace or take some time to decompress, the logical talking point then becomes who will succeed the 40-year-old defenseman as Sharks' captain. The obvious co-favorites for the 'C' at this point would"
San Jose Sharks' Rob Blake set to retire
June 10
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Rob Blake, the rugged defenseman who controlled the blue line during 20 NHL seasons and captained the Sharks into the Western Conference finals this spring, is retiring. The formal announcement is not expected to come until next week. On Wednesday, both the Sharks and Blake declined to comment. But his retirement, first reported by Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, is expected. It had been clear for months that Blake, 40, was leaning toward hanging up his skates after the season. And when the Sharks were eliminated from the postseason by Chicago, Blake sounded as if he only needed a few weeks away before making it official. Blake made a big impact during his two seasons in San Jose. A steadying"
Sharks Rob Blake reportedly leaning toward retirement
May 27
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Sharks captain Rob Blake is leaning toward retirement at age 40, according to a source familiar with the situation, but he is holding off on any announcement just yet. "You need time to unwind after the season and different things," Blake said Wednesday as players cleaned out their lockers for the season. "My kids are in school until June, and I want to meet with Doug (Wilson) and meet with Todd (McLellan) and talk things over and go from there." The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Blake earned $4 million this season, his second with the Sharks, and averaged 23:20 ice time in the postseason, second highest of any skater on the team. Wilson, the Sharks general manager, hasn't given Blake a deadline for"
Nick Lidstrom, Rob Blake still on top of their game at 40
April 30
Detroit News
 
"Forty never looked so good. Or played so good. This Western Conference semifinal series features two certain Hall of Fame defensemen who at age 40 remain at the top of their craft -- Detroit's Nick Lidstrom and San Jose's Rob Blake. "I think he's probably the best defenseman I've ever seen," Blake said Thursday morning. "His Norris Trophies and his Stanley Cups back that up, but also what he did last game, Game 7. "It was a crucial time for the Red Wings and he was their best player. That's their standard for the last 20 years or however long he's been playing." Lidstrom, who scored twice and assisted on a third goal in the Wings' 6-1 series-clincher in Phoenix, almost blushed when he"
Rob Blake has gone from hero to villain in Colorado
April 18
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Rob Blake has been a revered figure for Colorado hockey fans, and with good reason. He was, after all, one of the Avalanche's stars during the 2001 Stanley Cup run. Whenever he returned as an opponent, Blake received a warm reception. Not anymore. He has become Public Enemy No. 1. The fond memories have been replaced by the sight of Avalanche winger Peter Mueller crumpled on the ice. That's why Blake probably will be greeted with thunderous booing each time he touches the puck tonight as the Sharks-Avalanche playoff series moves to the Pepsi Center for Game 3. Mueller suffered a concussion in the April 4 regular-season game against the Sharks after being slammed awkwardly into the boards"
Rob Blake says he's OK
March 27
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Good news for the Sharks on the Rob Blake front. Here's the report from my co-worker Mark Emmons who covered today's practice. "Blake is fine. He went through the full practice. He took a shot from Dany Heatley early in the third period to the inside of his right knee while crashing the net. Blake said it was just bruised. "Just a precaution," he said of not going back into the game. "Seto had a maintenance day, but will play tomorrow. "Nothing written in stone, but McLellan said he's leaning toward using Nabby in Saturday's game. He also said that Jason Demers will be reappearing in San Jose pretty soon for the stretch run. Scott Nichol practiced and will be game-time decision.""
Rob Blake practices a day after getting hit by a puck
March 27
San Jose Mercury News
 
"When Rob Blake skated just one shift in the third period of a 3-0 victory Thursday over Dallas, the fear was the Sharks' defensive corps had just taken another injury hit. Instead, it turns out that Blake's absence was just a precaution after taking a puck to his right knee. Blake skated with the team Friday and pronounced himself healthy for tonight's game against Vancouver at HP Pavilion. Blake said he caught a puck to the inside of his right knee off a shot by Dany Heatley while crowding the net. Moments earlier, Blake had fallen to the ice, dislodging his knee pad and exposing a vulnerable spot. "Heater hit a nerve," Blake said. "It's nothing serious by any means. It's really just a"
Sharks coach: Rob Blake will be out 'couple of weeks'
November 9
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Coach: Blake will be out 'for a couple of weeks' Sharks Coach Todd McLellan said Saturday that defenseman Rob Blake "will be out for a couple of weeks" with the upper-body injury that has sidelined him for two games. But he remained tight-lipped about the specifics of the injury even after the team received the results of an MRI exam and a CT scan that Blake underwent Friday. Blake suffered the injury in the third period Wednesday in Columbus. Officially, he and the team are referring to the problem only as an "upper-body" injury, but Blake was wearing his left arm in a sling the day after it occurred. He has had shoulder surgery in the past and has indicated the current situation is"
Blake eases into "C" role
October 4
Denver Post
 columnist Terry Frei
"It looked a little strange. On Thursday at the Pepsi Center, roughly 40 minutes after the No. 19 banner was lifted to the rafters, Joe Sakic, in a pinstriped suit, dropped the ceremonial first puck between the men wearing "C" on their sweaters - San Jose's Rob Blake and Colorado's Adam Foote. Both shared the Stanley Cup-winning experience with Sakic in Colorado - Foote twice and Blake once. Both were emotional about witnessing the longtime Avalanche captain's number retirement ceremony on opening night. "When you come in and share those memories with one of the greatest players I've ever played with, it was nice," Blake said later, after the Sharks' 5-2 loss to the Avalanche. "He was so"
Sharks make Rob Blake their new captain
October 1
San Jose Mercury News
 
"The regime change in the Sharks leadership structure was formalized Wednesday with the announcement that veteran defenseman Rob Blake will be the new captain, taking over for Patrick Marleau. Coach Todd McLellan also named defenseman Dan Boyle and forward Joe Thornton as the assistant captains. Blake, a longtime captain during two tours with the Los Angeles Kings, is a bit of a surprise because he is playing with a one-year contract. Also, Boyle was widely seen a potential captain after Sharks general manager Doug Wilson made the decision this summer to take the "C" away from Marleau. "He just felt like a very comfortable choice," McLellan said of Blake. "His teammates respect him to the"