The San Jose Sharks once again fell short of expectations this past season as they failed to win the Stanley Cup despite finishing first in the Western Conference during the regular season.
And as it turns out, that failure against the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference finals will be the last series that Sharks defenseman Rob Blake will ever play.
The 20-year NHL veteran is reportedly going to announce his retirement sometime next week.
This past season was Blake's second in San Jose but it was the first and only season in which he was their team captain.
A former captain with the Los Angeles Kings, Blake had more than enough experience and leadership to wear the "C" for San Jose, but fans wondered whether it was the right move given his age.
The future Hall of Fame defenseman had a solid season statistically in his final campaign, tallying 7 goals and 30 points with a plus/minus rating of plus-14.
Furthermore Blake was only penalized for 60 minutes this past year compared to 110 in his first season with the Sharks, and in his final postseason, Blake led his squad in blocked shots.
However, the writing was clearly on the wall for Blake, 40, who showed time and ti ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Andy Bensch
With Rob Blake Set to Retire, Who Will be San Jose’s Next Captain?
June 11th, 2010 by Andy Bensch Leave a reply »
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