LIKE FATHER LIKE SON: BLAKE COMMITS TO BOWLING GREEN
Jack Blake of the Oakville Blades has confirmed his commitment to join the NCAA Division 1 Bowling Green State University Falcons in Bowling Green, Ohio, beginning with the 2021-22 season.
Blake will follow in the skates of his Hockey Hall of Famer father, Rob Blake, in attending Bowling Green.
The six-foot-1, 175-pound Blake spent the past two seasons at Shattuck St. Mary’s in Minnesota, a program with alums such as Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews. In 2019-20, Blake scored twice and added 16 assists for the school’s team.
Aside from summers at the family’s property outside Port Dover, Blake spent much of his childhood in Los Angeles where his father played and now serves as the general manager of the NHL’s LA Kings.
The younger Blake will see a familiar face in the Blades organization.
Oakville president, head coach and GM is Jamie Storr, a teammate of Rob’s from 1994-2000. Storr led the Blades to first place in the OJHL’s West Division last season before it was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Getting a player that we know really well is a huge advantage,” Storr told the Brantford Expositor. “Just coming out of a great program at Shattuck, it just allows our team to add a valuable asset that normally we wouldn’t have the opportunity to entertain.”
The defenceman, who turned 19 Sept. 25, played with the LA Junior Kings when Storr was assistant coach of the team.
The lefty’s development goal while he is with the Blades is to work on his offence. His father’s offensive game led him to putting up 777 points in 1,270 NHL contests for the Kings, Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks.
“I’m a defenceman, so defence comes first," Jack said, "but with the way the game is headed a lot of defencemen are more active in the offensive zone, so that’s what I want to work on this year.”
Rob Blake put up 104 points in 131 games from 1987-1990 at Bowling Green.
“For me I’ve always wanted to go there, to play where my dad played and wear the same jersey he wore,” said Jack. “I’ve always thought that would be a pretty cool thing to do.”
Rob Blake was inducted to the BG Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996.
"Bowling Green helped me mature as a person and maintain a certain discipline during the season that I was able to carry onto my professional career,” he said. “Being a Falcon relates to being a King or an Av, and I'm proud of them all."
With files and photo from the Brantford Expositor
