Kings News: Rob Blake's No. 4 jersey will be retired by the LA Kings

[johnjm22]

I don't dislike him, or care about the 2001 trade, but Blake simply isn't worthy of having his jersey retired.

Also, the half-hearted effort he gave on most night during his 2nd stint with L.A. didn't exactly endear him to me.

 

[YP44]

Heck, the Luc statue is iffy, too.

Great player, great career, brilliant representative of the org, super affable ... but a statue?

It's like the org is looking for excuses to hoist numbers and artwork for the marketing.

Luc is the NHL's all time goals by a left winger.
He deserves it.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

Luc is the NHL's all time goals by a left winger.
He deserves it.

and the Kings all time leader is goals and 2nd all time in games played....

 

[YP44]

There are players who accomplished less who have their names on the rafters. What did Vachon do? Did Dionne win anything? He always disappeared in the playoffs. Taylor never won anything either. Should they all be chastised? Maybe we can start a petition to have their names removed from the rafters since they never helped the team achieve anything.

Blake played in more games in a Kings uniform than Gretzky or Vachon ever did. He holds just about all team records for a defenseman. What is undeserving of what he accomplished versus what the other names up on the rafters did? To me, he was just as significant of a player on this team as a guy like Taylor was. Taylor was never considered one of the best players at his position during his time the way Blake was.

I am too young to remeber Taylor, Vachon and Dionne. However Dionne and Luc deserve to be up there based on where they sit on leagues record books. I always found it odd that 2/3 of the triple crown line is hanging in the rafters.

As for Blake, he was my favorite King growing up. I just am uncertain if his number should be retired as I do not liek how it seems liek numbers are retired too frequently.
To me for a guy's numebr to be retired it would be sacreligious to see another player wear it. With #4 I would be ok seeing another kings player done it. #20 I would riot so there is the difference. However based on the how no King has worn Blakes 4 since he left maybe the players figure it deserves to be up there. So what the hell do I know.

 

[YP44]

i won't boo (hell i won't even be there), but i still hold a grudge against him. most of the ill will has evaporated over time, but regardless of Kings records, NHL stats, etc. the guy shouldn't be honored in the same way as others. there is no other single player in the history of the club that brings this type of debate and hatred forward. players that get numbers retired are revered by fans, not potentially boo'ed when they get the number in the rafters.

the PHI fans welcomed back Lindros. hey cool for him and the fans. that is there own situation. Blake, LA and the fans are different. personally i don't care what PHI did.

the first time he left i understood and had no issue. he was chasing the Cup. the second time around though was BS. it still is BS.

i would rather see M Norstrom's 14 retired before i see Blake and #4 in the rafters

part of me agrees with your first paragraph but then I also think how no King has worn his number since he left. I think the fact even current players hold him in high reguard may trump the part of me that agrees with you.
As for the second time around he has said he did not stop a trade. People can choose not to believe it, however if he had veotd a deal I imagine DL would not be so keen to work with him right now, and I doubt DL would allow Blake's number to go up while he is the teams GM.

 

[Buddy The Elf]

I don't dislike him, or care about the 2001 trade, but Blake simply isn't worthy of having his jersey retired.

Also, the half-hearted effort he gave on most night during his 2nd stint with L.A. didn't exactly endear him to me.

I agree on all accounts.

 

[Battle Hymns]

im not happy about this.

let colorado retire his number.

 

[fsanford]

I wish those fans would also say that they'll no longer support the team and disappear.

This.. He still contributed a lot to the Kings. For some the spin of Timmy the Liar, is a powerful force, it warps peoples minds for almost 15 years..

Norris trophy winner, part of the 1993 cup team, guy contributed a ton to LA and the franchise, and a HHOF, he deserves his name up there.

If people disagree because of his on ice performance is one thing, though I highly doubt you would boo the guy if it was based on stats.

I would venture to guess the people who boo are doing so because of one event, and they cannot let it go.

I will be inside giving the guy a standing ovation.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Come on man, that is not what you said. You replied to the post by MonahanForCalder who said..



And you said...



You may want to clarify yourself, because it sure seems like you are saying anyone who doesn't want his jersey retired should stop being a fan of the team.

I had the boo-birds in mind when I wrote that. People offering differing opinions as to why he shouldn't have his number retired is fine, as I make a case that he's just as deserving as a player like Vachon or Taylor who didn't accomplish any more than Blake did in a Kings uni.

As others have said, the organization must think highly of Blake to keep bringing him back and having him in a management role that plays an emphasis on player development. Not to mention his involvement in local hockey with the Junior Kings and how he helped that program to be considered one of the best Junior hockey programs in the country.

He's too respected not to be honored. Haven't heard a single bad thing said about Blake, aside from pockets of fans who still hold a grudge, but I have no problem with posters like johnjm22 who share the opinion that it's an undeserving honor for other reasons not related to his contract dispute in 2000 and subsequent trade in 2001.

 

[taz346]

Eric Lindros was welcomed warmly by Philly fans (imagine that) after the messy divorce him and the Flyers went through in all of 2000-01.

Think about that for a moment. It's amazing how a minority of fans still resent Blake. It's childish really. There's no other way to put it.

Amen to that.
After I read that Blake's number was going to be retired, I knew the jaws would be wagging today. Why can't people just let the past go and be happy for a guy who was a great player for the Kings? Must be an awful lot of people around who've never, ever done a stupid thing in their lives and can sit back to judge others as they do.

 

[took420s]

I was only going to accept it if he made into the HHOF, he did so I have.

Bad juju to boo a guy having his # retired, team is rolling I say hang it up there and let's move on to winning more cups without him

 

[Herby]

That is fine, obviously many people here have different opinions on players. I greatly respect yourself and TG for example, but we are in a different universe when it comes to the value of Mike Richards for example.

I think it's close as to whether Blake's on ice play warrants a jersey retirement, but I still lean towards no just based on his play on the ice, but the contract situation, the ripping off the the C and the continued polarizing attitude of the fanbase towards him makes it a definite no for me.

And again, I hope no one goes to the ceremony and boo's, that would be stupid and classless. I hope anyone who is in the boat that myself and many others are in decide to just have an extra beer or two at LA Live and skip the ceremony.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

People booed Gretzky when he returned to LA and even then as a kid I didn't understand the resentment towards him given the situation the team was in. I didn't blame Wayne for wanting out and he clearly wasn't going to be coming back so I didn't see the big deal in trading him, though obviously I was disappointed that it did happen as he was my hockey hero growing up.

I wonder if there are still people out there who still despise Wayne.

 

[HYORI 1963]

Preemptive warning: be civil.

Ok, ok, I won't post.

 

[Statto]

Aside from Gretzky, who really was the one player who put the team on the map and elevated the team to respectability, you can make an argument as to why any of the other players' names are hanging from the rafters of Staples Center. Dionne and Luc holding so many team records and also being among the highest scoring players in NHL history (not to mention HHOF inductees) justifies their place up there, but I'd argue that Blake accomplished as much if not more than Vachon and Taylor did during their time with the Kings.

I guess it depends on how far back your memory of Blake goes. Blake was a force in his first four seasons with the Kings. Then he got hit hard by injuries between 1994-95 and 1996-97, and he came back in 97-98 winning first All-Star team honors along with the only Norris Trophy to be won by a Kings dman and finished 3rd in Norris votes again in 2000. He finished top 20 in all-time scoring by a defenseman in the NHL (18th overall), more points than the likes of Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger.

He's accomplished too much not to acknowledge him as one of the best players to don a Kings jersey. He still stands as the best defenseman to ever dress in a Kings uniform. Hopefully someday we'll be saying that about Doughty, but until then, Blake's the man.

I can't disagree with any of that. Along with Gretzky he has always been a Kings hero to me. I always blamed the organisation when had left the first time and I always felt giving up the Captaincy was done for the right reasons, better than keeping it for his image as many would do. I was made up when he came back the first time and if he takes over from DL one day I'll back him 100%.

 

[KINGS17]

Not saying he didn't have a great career overall. That's why he's in the HHOF, and good for him, but as a King, one Norris shouldn't be enough to get your number in the rafters. I mean, Visnovsky is the only D to ever lead the team in scoring, should we retire his number too? Just because you were the best of a **** bunch shouldn't automatically qualify you for high honors.

When Kopitar, Doughty, Brown, and Quick go to the rafters, it will be for what they achieved as Kings.

Exactly. I'm pretty pissed at Dean for not putting a stop to this as he indicated not long ago that the next number to go to the rafters will have been worn by a player that lifted the cup as a member of the Los Angeles Kings.

Blake had a fine career. He was not the definition of excellence as a member of the Los Angeles Kings on the ice or in his deeds off-ice. His name already pales in comparison to the likes of Kopitar, Quick, Brown, and Doughty and not all of those guys are shoe-ins just yet.

 

[Pucknut50]

I just don't get this. I don't care about any of the off ice crap, but the guy didn't do nearly enough on the ice as a King to warrant his number getting retired.

HOF
First and only King to win a Norris Trophy
Was a big part in the Kings getting to their first Stanley Cup Final
Played 14 years for the Kings
All time goals and points leader among Kings Defensemen

How much more does he have to do?

 

[Herby]

Maybe for another discussion...

But, Blake winning the Norris over Lidstrom was one of the worst awards decisions in NHL history.

 

[Jason Lewis]

Leads all-time in points, goals, assists, games played for King defensemen. Only Kings Norris winner. Captained the team for six seasons. Member of the HHOF, appearing in 14 of his 20 NHL seasons with the Kings. Three time all-star with the team.

All the BS aside, I'd say he has done enough to get it hung up there.

The " but it was a bad team in the 90's" thing baffles me. Mike Gartner had very little playoff success/experience (only 122 games in a career spanning 19 seasons.), never won a cup, never won a major trophy. Does he deserve to be a recognized HHOF player with a jersey retirement. Heck yea he does. A players quality should not be judged by the performance of the team overall.


Just a few other names to toss out there if we are going to question players getting retired numbers. Some of these have equal and/or not as strong cases yet still get the honors of their respective organizations.

Adam Graves
Adam Foote
Trevor Linden
Markus Naslund

Not every organization has a laundry list of players like the Islanders, Flyers, Rangers, Red Wings etc. etc. that deserve it. But we should honor the ones that did mean something to our organization. And Blake did.

 

[Reclamation Project]

I think we need to add Rob Blake to the three topics you should never discuss at a party.

 

[HYORI 1963]

I think we need to add Rob Blake to the three topics you should never discuss at a party.

Rob Blake
Mike Richards
LA Sparks

************************************************

This thread could divide this board. I say we rumble.

 

[jfont]

Amen to that.
After I read that Blake's number was going to be retired, I knew the jaws would be wagging today. Why can't people just let the past go and be happy for a guy who was a great player for the Kings? Must be an awful lot of people around who've never, ever done a stupid thing in their lives and can sit back to judge others as they do.

Exactly. It was a business decision by the Kings back then. Whatever happened t was done between Blake and management. Whatever happened was not between Blake and Kings fans. I am sure, Blakey still holds us fans in high regards... With that, I never have and never will "boo" Rob Blake.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

Maybe for another discussion...

But, Blake winning the Norris over Lidstrom was one of the worst awards decisions in NHL history.

Blake was the better d-man that year. Blake was a force that year. He should have also won the Hart.
Blake was the #1 reason the Kings made the playoff that year.
#2 was that the Pacific was weak
#3 was the upcoming expansion draft and the Kings faced a lot of other teams' "Frederick Chabot"s that they were trying to get in enough games to expose in the expansion draft

 

[go4hockey]

I wish those fans would also say that they'll no longer support the team and disappear.

Now people can't even have a mind if their own and their own opinion or you want them gone all together. Makes sense.

 

[KingsFanInRI]

I was never a big Blake fan, but if Dean says we do it, we do it.

Why not retire a few others too?

#25 Petr Prajsler... simply for the time he decked Jeff Beukeboom (or was it Buchberger?)

#10 (tie) Viktor Nechayev and Steve Carlson... Nechayev, first Russian-trained player in the NHL; kind of the Communist Jackie Robinson.... Carlson, he was one of the Hanson Brothers for Pete's sake.

#4 Jimmy Fox... far more popular all-around than Blake and would have made all of this hostility go away.

#15 Ted Irvine... Y2J's dad... need I say more?

#51 Mikael Lindholm... Just because his son plays for the Quacks and this might make Hayward's head implode.