Rob Blake's #4 to be retired. Is he Top 10?

[Swamp Dragon]

More than once I've herd that former LA Kings D-man Rob Blake must rank somewhere in the Top 10 All Time Greats to ever patrol the blue line. I don't think so but, since the LA Kings plan on retiring his # 4 jersey this coming season, the debate is on. So, I wonder, not where media talking heads rank him but you, loyal armchair experts rank him. Is he Top 10?

Yeah I'd say he's top ten all time

 

[Swamp Dragon]

All time? No. Of his generation? That's a bit more interesting. Guys I would put above him (that at least played a substantial amount of hockey between 1989-2010).

Lidstrom, Niedermayer, Stevens, MacInnis, Bourque, Pronger, Chelios, Leetch. Any others? Any disagreement?

The first five guys above likely slot in to the top 10 dmen of all time and there's no room for Blake to crack that list. Blake was a regular selection for international play for Team Canada, though.

Sorry I don't rank Al as one of the greats the other 4 yeah I'd have them in the argument if not the list

Doug Harvey , Orr , Shore, Potvin Park (maybe) Coffey the Montreal 3 others that'd make my short list

 

[Swamp Dragon]

Yeah I'd say he's top ten all time

That said Kings top ten KINGS all time

 

[Swamp Dragon]

Sorry I don't rank Al as one of the greats the other 4 yeah I'd have them in the argument if not the list

Doug Harvey , Orr , Shore, Potvin Park (maybe) Coffey the Montreal 3 others that'd make my short list

I'd have Al in the second tier with Chelios Langway Pronger Horton and if I took the time I could add a dozen more

 

[Swamp Dragon]

Who are 3 d-men Al Iafrate is cooler than?

The pylons we used in our drills

 

[Roamer]

The pylons we used in our drills

!!!

 

[phoenixrising]

Yup

Yup? That's it? Break your finger or something>

 

[Slimpikins]

I loved watching Blake play. Big shot from the point and he was a monster on the blue line. Fantastic defenseman.

One of the last great hip checkers.

 

[Harry Crack]

Yup? That's it? Break your finger or something>

broke it off in my nose

 

[Rex Racer]

The first five guys above likely slot in to the top 10 dmen of all time and there's no room for Blake to crack that list. Blake was a regular selection for international play for Team Canada, though.

I only have Bourque and Lidstrom on my list. The rest were damn good, but not "all-timers"

 

[Spiny Norman]

I don't believe he is top ten. Certainly not all-time. Maybe top 30 all time...maybe
I don't think he's even top ten in his era...whatever you use to measure this. If it's something about career longevity...maybe...but for as much as I used to joke about The Pronger, when he was young he was deadly. And Blake over Borque? nope, not even at gunpoint...Lidstrom? ha ha ha...Leetch? No. Chelios...the young...nope...and again, even though I was no fan...Scott Stevens...nope....and that's just off the top of my head.