Rob Blake Sent to Avalanche
LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Kings traded Rob Blake, one of the NHL's hardest-hitting and highest-scoring defensemen, to the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night.
The Kings, who included center Steve Reinprecht in the trade, acquired right wing Adam Deadmarsh and defenseman Aaron Miller from the Avalanche.
Colorado also gave Los Angeles a first-round draft choice in 2001, a prospect to be determined, and other future considerations.
Blake can become an unrestricted free agent after this season and had turned down Los Angeles' five-year, $40 million offer made last summer and another, richer offer made last week.
A 6-foot-4, 227-pounder who won the Norris Trophy in 1998, Blake had been a Kings mainstay since he came into the NHL in 1990.
He thought his contract should be in line with the $29.5 million, three-year deal the St. Louis Blues recently gave Chris Pronger, a defenseman who was both the Norris Trophy winner and the league MVP last season.
Blake said recently that he would have preferred to stay with Los Angeles, which selected him in the fourth round, the 70th player taken, in the 1988 entry draft.
Kings president Tim Lewiweke had said he believed a trade would be to the Kings' benefit, that they can spend less money on one player and more on filling holes in their lineup.
Blake has 17 goals, 32 assists and 69 penalty minutes this season. In 662 regular-season games during his 12 years with the Kings, he had 138 goals, 291 assists and 1,051 penalty minutes.
Colorado general manager Pierre Lacroix was delighted to land Blake.
"Rob Blake is an elite and one-of-a kind defenseman who is in his prime right now. Blake is recognized as a major force in this league and an all-around great defenseman that combines size, skill, toughness and agility," Lacroix said.
Kings general manager Dave Taylor said he thought Los Angeles, which is fighting to make the playoffs, got two players who can help the team immediately.
"Aaron Miller is a strong, gritty defenseman who will help provide us with the defensive stability we need, and Adam Deadmarsh provides us with a unique combination of toughness, grit and offensive ability that our club has been seeking," Taylor said.
Deadmarsh, 25, has 13 points and 13 assists this season. He has scored at least 20 goals in four of his previous six NHL seasons.
Miller, 29, has four goals and nine assists, with 29 penalty minutes in 56 games.
Reinprecht, 24, has played in 59 games for Los Angeles this season and has 12 goals and 17 assists.
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