If he wins the Conn Smythe

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

Would Rob Blake possibly be a HoFer if he adds a Conn Smythe and another Cup ring? Just watching his old replays and damn he was good. He's probably got another 2 or 3 years in him but what do you think he'd have to do to make the HoF?

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[joe_shannon_1983*]

He is already a Hall of Famer. Blake, in his prime, was much better than Larry Murphy ever was. And Murphy is in the Hall of Fame.

 

[God Bless Canada]

No, he's not an HHOFer. There are better defencemen not in the HHOF - Mark Howe, Doug Wilson, arguably Carl Brewer, J.C. Tremblay and Randy Carlyle - than Rob Blake. Blake has four all-star team selections, which would tie him for the most among defencemen not in the HHOF, along with Brewer. But I've never viewed Blake as being any better than Carlyle - a sturdy, all-round defenceman capable of contributing in several facets to a team, but a cut below HHOF worthiness.

A Conn Smythe, another Norris, or two or three more elite regular seasons - where he ranks among the top five or six defencemen in the league - would sway a lot of voters. He would have to be a key player for a Cup champion. If he were to be a No. 5 or 6 defenceman on a Cup champ, I don't think it would make a difference.

I'll also take issue with the argument that Blake was a better defenceman than Larry Murphy. Murphy was a poised, intelligent all-round defenceman who was a post-season all-star and Norris Trophy finalist on several occasions. It didn't hurt Murphy's cause that he was a key player with two organizations that won back-to-back Stanley Cups. (Pittsburgh in 1991 and 1992, Detroit in 1997 and 1998). His performance for those two Detroit teams made the difference in his HHOF bid.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

all-round defenceman

Murphy may have put some weight on in his later years, but he's no Craig Muni when it comes to all-round defensemen.

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

Would Rob Blake possibly be a HoFer if he adds a Conn Smythe and another Cup ring? Just watching his old replays and damn he was good. He's probably got another 2 or 3 years in him but what do you think he'd have to do to make the HoF?

He's not going to win it. Brodeur or Elias will.

 

[12# Peter Bondra]

The most surprising thing about Blake was how he wasnt even mentioned after the 01 Cup win.

What a trio that was: Foote, Blake and Ray B.

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

The most surprising thing about Blake was how he wasnt even mentioned after the 01 Cup win.

What a trio that was: Foote, Blake and Ray B.

Blake wasnt that important even. Considering Klemm and Devries as the 5/6th defenseman they were stacked. I remember Bourque and Footer getting all the key minutes except for the PP.

 

[Crosbyfan]

Would Rob Blake possibly be a HoFer if he adds a Conn Smythe and another Cup ring? Just watching his old replays and damn he was good. He's probably got another 2 or 3 years in him but what do you think he'd have to do to make the HoF?

Yeah, that would get him in.

 

[doublejack]

I do not see Blake getting into the HoF. His career is really no different than that of Mathieu Schneider's. Great defenders, but not HoF material.

 

[God Bless Canada]

I do not see Blake getting into the HoF. His career is really no different than that of Mathieu Schneider's. Great defenders, but not HoF material.

Blake has a Norris trophy and is a four-time all-star. Has Schneider ever been a first or second team all-star? Blake has also enjoyed a much more consistent career, and, when healthy, has generally been ranked among the top 15 defencemen in the game since 1993. Schneider's career has had a lot of peaks and valleys, and he was almost out of the league before regaining his form as a reclamation project with the Kings a few years ago.

 

[Sens Rule]

I'm not sure if Blake will make the HOF or not. But he has been one heck of a player for a long time. And he had big injuries in his prime. Blake was spoken of for over a decade as a huge physical hard hitting stud D-Man with a great shot who was among the very best in the world. He wasn't the best of his era though. Early on MacInnis, Coffey, Bourque, Chelios and possibly Leetch. Later he is overshadowed by Pronger, Lidstrom and Niedermeyer.

Comparing him to Mathieu Schneider is laughable. And as great as Larry Murphy was. Blake was better. However Blake didn't and won't ever play 1600 games.

I don't have a problem with Murphy in the HOF. And I wouldn't complain if Howe, Wilson or Blake made it either. But even if they don't they were still awesome and as good as you can be without making the Hall.

 

[doublejack]

Blake and Schneider are really not that different. Blake does have the Norris, but Schneider was a finalist in 2004. By the numbers they are very, very similar. And neither one is a HoF'er, that's really the main point in my comparison.

 

[God Bless Canada]

Blake and Schneider are really not that different. Blake does have the Norris, but Schneider was a finalist in 2004. By the numbers they are very, very similar. And neither one is a HoF'er, that's really the main point in my comparison.

Uh, no. The finalists in 2004 were Niedermayer, Chara and Pronger, followed by McCabe, Aucoin, Lidstrom and then Schneider. 7th place is a long way from top 3.

 

[joe_shannon_1983*]

Is Blake ever under-rated on here! The guy has been a top 5 defenseman for the last decade, and yet he is being compared to Mathieu Schneider (who is good, but far from top 5 in the league the last 10 years).

We also have people saying that he wasn't that important to Colorado's Cup run, when he was their best defenseman that year (Foote and Bourque were awesome, but Blake was the defenseman who put that team over the top that year).

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

Blake has a Norris trophy and is a four-time all-star. Has Schneider ever been a first or second team all-star? Blake has also enjoyed a much more consistent career, and, when healthy, has generally been ranked among the top 15 defencemen in the game since 1993. Schneider's career has had a lot of peaks and valleys, and he was almost out of the league before regaining his form as a reclamation project with the Kings a few years ago.

I'd say alot higher than top 15. Top 10 easily, top 5 in many years since some of the bigger names got older. I dont even think Neidermayer has outshone him until recently.

 

[joe_shannon_1983*]

I dont even think Neidermayer has outshone him until recently.

He hasn't.

From 1996-2002, Blake was perenially a better defenseman than Niedermayer. And 2003 is arguable too.

Niedermayer was better in 2004 and 2006. But not in the 7-8 years prior to that.

Blake is a Hall of Fame calibre defenseman. The guy is easily one of the top 5-10 defenseman in the last 15 years or so.

 

[sonnyisles]

I would agree that he is one of the top 5-10 defensemen on the last 10 or 15 years but in my opinion he's not a Hall Of Famer. I don't see him as an all time elite player.

 

[12# Peter Bondra]

Blake wasnt that important even. Considering Klemm and Devries as the 5/6th defenseman they were stacked. I remember Bourque and Footer getting all the key minutes except for the PP.

Yeah.

Just showed how stacked the blue line was.

 

[joe_shannon_1983*]

I would agree that he is one of the top 5-10 defensemen on the last 10 or 15 years but in my opinion he's not a Hall Of Famer. I don't see him as an all time elite player.

The Hall of Fame isn't about "all time elite players". There are many players in the Hall of Fame who aren't "all time elite players".

Blake has been a very good, and at times dominating, player though. And that merits Hall of Fame.

 

[joe_shannon_1983*]

With all of the talk about the Avalanche Cup run, and with people listing defensemen on that team, how come Puck Poise hasn't been mentioned yet?

 

[sonnyisles]

The Hall of Fame isn't about "all time elite players". There are many players in the Hall of Fame who aren't "all time elite players".

Blake has been a very good, and at times dominating, player though. And that merits Hall of Fame.

 

[sonnyisles]

You're correct when you say that the Hall isn't only about the all time elite players but in my opinion the players inducted should be All Time Greats and I don't think that he is. Although when you look down the list of members I guess there are plenty of others who aren't. I just feel that when we talk about who should be in, it should be players that were in the top 2 or 3 when they played and not players in the top 10.

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

With all of the talk about the Avalanche Cup run, and with people listing defensemen on that team, how come Puck Poise hasn't been mentioned yet?

I purposely didnt mention him so it wouldnt derail the thread.

Anyways, I think over the last 8 or so years only Lidstrom and Pronger have consistently been better than him.

 

[MiZZZike*]

I think Blake is in.

 

[Big Phil]

I dont know how someone can put Blake with Carlyle. Sure Randy Carlyle won the Norris in '81 and had one good year after that but even it that year he wasnt even on Team Canada for the Canada Cup. Blake is a better defenseman than Carlyle ever was. He's got one Norris, one first team all-star selection ('98) and two second team selections ('00, '01, '02). Throw in a Cup in Colorado. Plus a guy is judged on how well he played against his peers. He's not in Pronger's class, or even Niedermayer's but he's in the HOF IMO.