Most of the NHL has tonight off, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be a quiet evening. It’s the night of the Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony, and one of the honorees is longtime Kings defenseman Rob Blake. Blake will be the fourth player drafted by Los Angeles to be inducted, after Larry Murphy, Billy Smith, and the only other one to forge a long career in LA, Luc Robitaille.
Many of my earliest memories as a Kings fan involved Rob Blake; in fact, his first NHL season was also technically my first NHL season, though I certainly couldn’t tell you anything about what happened in 1989-90. I could tell you plenty about that dark era between 1994 and 2001, when the Kings didn’t win a darn thing… except for that lone Norris Trophy, won by Blake in 1998. I remember that announcement, but I definitely remember the booming hip-checks a lot more. (There might be one check that some Kings fans remember more vividly, but most people have gotten past that.) And, of course, there was that Cup. It came in the wrong jersey and at the expense of the Kings, but it was a deserved win. Thankfully, both he and the Kings’ other superstar from that time period eventually added an LA Cup to the ones they won elsewhere.
The ceremony begins in a little under an hour on the NHL Network; check out the below pieces (courtesy of Whiskey!) to pass the time before it starts.
LAKings.com
Hall’s Call A Homecoming For Blake The Kings’ Assistant GM chatted with LAK.com about his long career.
LA Register
Kings’ Blake revels in ‘greatest honor’ For those of you who don’t boo, Hammond’s story about Rob Blake’s entry into the Hockey Hall of Fame is great.
Mayor’s Manor
PODCAST: Rob Blake on Eve of HHOF Induction Rob Blake opens up about his multiple runs with the Kings and shares the truth behind waiving his NTC.
The Globe and Mail
Legends reflect on call from Hockey Hall of Fame Eric Duhatschek chatted briefly with the members of the 2014 Hockey Hall of Fame about their careers.
Puck Daddy
Hockey Hall of Famer Power Rankings: Who would be 1st pick to start team today? Which of these players would you select first to start a new team in 2014?
The Leader
Hall of Fame inductees poke fun at each other Well, mostly, they just teased Peter Forsberg.
USA Today
Exceptional Hockey Hall of Fame class being inducted today This is a class that can hold its own.
We’d love to hear more of what you think about Blake’s induction, so feel free to share in the comments.