How the Avalanche's Rob Blake Trade Helped Keep Him Away From Detroit
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The Colorado Avalanche already possessed one of the NHL's most talented rosters during the 2000-01 season. Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Patrick Roy and Ray Bourque gave the Avalanche a collection of future Hall of Famers capable of competing for the Stanley Cup. But general manager Pierre Lacroix wasn't satisfied with his roster.
With the Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues presenting serious competition in the Western Conference, Lacroix made another aggressive move that would help define the Avalanche's championship season. On February 21, 2001, the Avalanche acquired defenseman Rob Blake and center Steven Reinprecht from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Adam Deadmarsh, Aaron Miller, prospect Jared Aulin, and first-round draft picks in 2001 and 2003.
It was an enormous price, particularly for a team that was already among the league's elite. The move accomplished two important objectives. The Avalanche acquired one of hockey's premier defensemen while preventing a conference rival from doing the same.
According to Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post, the Avalanche's acquisition also kept Blake away from Detroit and St. Louis, two teams interested in strengthening their own Stanley Cup chances.
Blake, who had spent his entire NHL career with the Kings, was approaching unrestricted free agency. The Kings had been unable to reach a contract agreement with their longtime captain, making a trade increasingly likely.
For the Avalanche, the opportunity was difficult to ignore. Blake had won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman in 1998 and remained one of the league's most dangerous offensive defensemen. At the time of the trade, he had scored 17 goals and 32 assists in 54 games with the Kings. His arrival gave the Avalanche a star-studded group featuring Bourque, Blake and Adam Foote.
The Avalanche already possessed an exceptional goaltender in Roy, giving the team experience and talent throughout their lineup. Blake made an immediate contribution. He scored 10 points in 13 regular season games after joining the Avalanche, then added six goals and 13 assists in 23 playoff contests. His 19 postseason points led all NHL defensemen.
The Avalanche ultimately defeated the New Jersey Devils in seven games to win their second Stanley Cup championship. For Bourque, the victory ended a 22 year wait for hockey's ultimate prize and for Blake, it was the also the first Stanley Cup championship of his career. And for Lacroix, the trade reinforced his reputation as an executive willing to make difficult decisions when an opportunity presented itself.
The trade also left a fascinating question. What if Blake had joined the Red Wings instead? Detroit would win the Stanley Cup the following season, but Colorado ensured Blake played an important role in its own championship first. Twenty-five years later, the deal remains one of the defining transactions in Avalanche history.
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Jason Fink is an NHL writer and lifelong hockey fan who fell in love with the game when he watched Wayne Gretzky’s Edmonton Oilers defeat the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1987 Stanley Cup Final. When he’s not writing, Jason enjoys spending time with his wife Michelle and their son Theo and daughter Stella. Whether he’s following the latest NHL news or cheering from the rink, his passion for the sport has been a constant throughout his life.