Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Rob Blake's #4 Will Be Retired By The Los Angeles Kings

08/11/2014 at 1:03pm EDT

LOS ANGELES – Former Los Angeles Kings captain/defenseman and current club executive Rob Blake will have his No. 4 jersey retired by the Kings as part of a special pregame ceremony at STAPLES Center on Saturday, January 17, prior to the Kings-Ducks game, the club announced today.

Blake – who is also being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November – will become the sixth Kings player to be so honored by the organization, joining Luc Robitaille (#20 / 2007), Wayne Gretzky (#99 / 2002), Dave Taylor (#18 / 1995), Marcel Dionne (#16 / 1990) and Rogie Vachon (#30 / 1985).

Blake’s white jersey from the “silver and black era” will hang from the STAPLES Center rafters.

“It is an honor to be included with the former great LA King players who have their Jersey’s retired. I have always felt LA was a special place to play and it was and is a tremendous privilege to put on an LA Kings jersey,” said Blake.

Blake is the all-time leader in games played, goals, assists and points by a Kings defenseman. He played 14 of his 20 NHL seasons with the Kings (1990-01 and 2006-08). He served as the Kings captain from 1996-01 and again from 2007-08 (six total seasons). He helped lead the Kings to the Stanley Cup Final in 1993; won the franchise’s first Norris Trophy in 1998; captured a gold medal at the 2002 Olympics; and made seven trips to the NHL All-Star Game, including four representing the Kings.

Blake was originally selected by the Kings in the fourth round (70th overall) of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. A native of Simcoe, Ontario, Blake played college hockey at Bowling Green State University. He made his NHL debut with the Kings during the 1989-90 season, and his final game came in the 2010 postseason with the San Jose Sharks.

Blake’s NHL career included stints with the Sharks (2008-10) and the Colorado Avalanche (2001-06), where he won a Stanley Cup in 2001. He recorded 777 points (240-537=777) in 1,270 regular season games while in 146 playoff games, he registered 73 points (26-47=73).

Blake, currently serving as Vice President/Assistant General Manager for the 2014 Stanley Cup Champion Kings, will join players Peter Forsberg, Dominik Hasek and Mike Modano as part of the 2014 Hockey Hall of Fame selection class with induction ceremonies set for November 17 in Toronto. Also selected as new members of the Hall of Fame were Pat Burns in the Builder Category; and Bill McCreary in the Referee and Linesman Category.

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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