When the Los Angeles Kings drafted Rob Blake with the 70^th Overall Pick in 1988, they likely did not say internally that they drafted a player who would be one of the best Defensemen and prolific leaders in the game's history, but that is what they acquired.  Blake, who was playing at Bowling Green when he was chosen, remained with the Falcons for another two years before joining the Kings at the tail end of the 1989-90 Season, giving Blake a taste of what he could do in an entire season. 

Blake was an All-Rookie with 46 Points, and though he slipped to 20 Points the following year, he rebounded with 59 and 68 Points, respectively, the latter being a career-high and enough to earn him his first All-Star Game appearance.  The Canadian was beset with injuries over the next two years, and Blake only appeared in 30 Games.  Still recovering, Blake had 31 Points in the 1996-97 Season, which was good, but nothing to make you think that he would rise to the upper-tier of Defenseman.  Everything was about to change in 1997.

Blake was healthy, and he scored an even 50 Points with a career-high 23 Goals.  Not only that, his attention to his end of the ice improved, and along with his grit and aggression, Blake became one of the most complete players in the league.  He won the Norris Trophy and was a First Team All-Star, making Blake the first Kings blueliner to earn those honors.  He continued his momentum, scoring 59 Points in 1999-2000, and was a Second Team All-Star.  Blake was on route to another 50-Point Season the following year, but it was destined to be split between two teams.

Although Blake was an incredible player, the team around him wasn’t, and the Kings went into rebuilding mode, trading away Blake to the powerful Colorado Avalanche.  Blake helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup, and he earned Second Team All-Star accolades that year.  Blake returned as a Free Agent to L.A. four years later, playing two more years in a Kings uniform before departing to San Jose to close his career.

In his second year of eligibility, Blake entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014, and his no.4 was retired by Los Angeles.

Rob Blake will always be most associated with the Los Angeles Kings, and he should be as he played 14 years and won his Norris Trophy there.  That being said, Blake played for five seasons with Colorado, and it was there where he earned his lone Stanley Cup.

The International Ice Hockey Federation has announced the eight member Class of 2018 which include four familiar faces to NHL fans.

Lets get right to the new members shall we.

Current Los Angeles Kings General Manager and 20 year NHL veteran Rob Blake will be inducted in Copenhagen. Blake who won a Stanley Cup in 2001 with the Colorado Avalanche and is also a Norris Trophy winner is also a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Representing Canada, Blake in a Gold Medalist in the 2002 Olympics and also twice won a World Championship (1994 & 1997). Blake was also on the 1996 Silver Medal World Cup Team of 1996.

Three time Stanley Cup Champion and three time Norris Trophy winner, Chris Chelios will be joining Blake. On top of 26 seasons in the NHL, Chelios was a four time U.S. Olympian and three time captain of that squad. He would win an Olympic Silver Medal in 2002 at the Salt Lake Games and would win the World Cup of Hockey in 1996. He also played in the Canada Cup three times.

Six time NHL All Star Daniel Alfredsson will be Sweden’s lone representative to the IIHOF. The long time Ottawa Senator suited up for Sweden in the Olympics five times, one resulting in a Gold Medal (2006) and one a Silver Medal (2014). Alfredsson also had two Silvers and a Bronze in World Hockey Championship competition.

Three time Frank J. Selke Award winner, Jere Lehtinen will also be included. The former Stanley Cup Champion with the Dallas Stars represented Finland in the Olympics five times, capturing a Silver Medal in 2006 and three Bronze Medals (1994, 1998 & 2010). In the World Championships he captured a Gold Medal in the 1995 tournament and also won three Silver Medals.

The other four inductees are French National Team and former Executive (Philippe Lacarriere); former Referee Bob Nadin: Danish hockey player Jesper Damgaard and Latvian Kirvos Lipmans who enters via the Paul Loicq Award for outstanding service to hockey.

The Official ceremony will take place during the 2018 World Hockey Championship in Denmark, which is scheduled for May 4-20.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the latest members of the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame.

Over the last few months, we here at Notinhalloffame.com have been so focused on other endeavors at the site, that we neglected to tell you about the continuing opportunity fro you to cast your opinion on existing Hockey Hall of Famers.

With that in mind, we here at Notinhhalloffame.com have expended greatly to allow you to vote on Hockey Hall of Fame inductees from 2013-2015.

The Players/Builders from that existing time frame include:


The 2013 Hockey Hall of Fame Class:


Brendan Shanahan, a two time First Team All Star and three time Stanley Cup Champion with the Detroit Red Wings.

Chris Chelios, a three time Norris Trophy Winner and three time Stanley Cup Champion.

Fred Shero, the two time Stanley Cup winning coach for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Geraldine Heaney, considered to be best female defenceman of all-time.

Scott Niedermayer, a former Conn Smythe and Norris Trophy Winner and a four time Stanley Cup Champion.



The 2014 Hockey Hall of Fame Class:


Bill McCreary, a longtime and respected referee.

Dominik Hasek, a champion Goalie in the Olympics and pros who won the Hart Trophy twice and the Vezina Trophy six times.

Mike Modano, an American superstar who took the Dallas Stars to the Stanley Cup Championship.

Pat Burns, a three time Coach of the Year and Stanley Cup Champion with the New Jersey Devils.

Peter Forsberg, a former Hart Trophy winner and Stanley Cup Champion with the Colorado Avalanche.

Rob Blake, a former Norris Trophy winner and Stanley Cup Champion with the Colorado Avalanche.

The 2015 Hockey Hall of Fame Class:


Angelina Ruggiero, an American female hockey player who is a four time Olympian.

Bill Hay, a former chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Chris Pronger, a former Hart and Norris Trophy Winner.

Niklas Lidstrom, a seven time Norris Trophy winner and four time Stanley Cup Champion with the Detroit Red Wings. 

Peter Karmanos Jr., who was the man who brought the NHL to the Carolinas.

Phil Housley, a high scoring Defenceman who was a seven time All Star.

Sergei Federov, a former Hart Trophy winner and three time Stanley Cup Champion with the Detroit Red Wings.


I think you know what we are looking for you to do!

When your time permits, take a look at this group and let us know if their Hall of Fame inductions are justified!

A former Norris Trophy winner with the Los Angeles Kings, Rob Blake was named a First Team All Star once and a Second Team All Star three times. Blake was a member of the Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup Championship in 2001 as well as an Olympic Gold Medalist in 2002 for the Canadian National Team.