Rob Blake finds himself in a unique predicament this month.
Even though he’s 38, the Los Angeles Kings’ captain would be the ideal rental for a contending team. He’s still a solid puck-moving defenseman and he’s used to the process, having already been dealt in-season once. Three months after that deal, he wound up lifting the Stanley Cup along with Ray Bourque and the Colorado Avalanche.
Blake’s proof that deadline deals actually do work. But this time around, Blake controls his fate with a no-trade clause. All he has to do now is figure out if it’s worth invoking.
“The main reason I came to L.A. is I want to build something here. It would be tough to leave that,” Blake told NHL.com. “I made that commitment to come here two years ago. That’s why I had that no-trade (clause) put in so I could make a decision.”
