BOWLING GREEN – Jack Blake heard the tales of Bowling Green hockey while growing up.
The young defenseman will now don an orange-and-brown sweater himself.
Blake, 20, will be a redshirt freshman on the Falcons' roster this season. He is following in the skates of his father, Rob, who was inducted into the BGSU hall of fame in 1996 and is the current general manager of the Los Angeles Kings.
“Ever since I was a kid, I always wanted to play where my dad played,” Jack Blake said. “He told me all the fun times he had and all the stories and great memories he made in college here. It just always seemed cool from a young age to wear the same sweater my dad wore.”
Rob Blake, an Olympic champion who played in the NHL for 20 years, is perhaps the most decorated defenseman in the history of the Falcon hockey program.
“One of the cool things we have seen from Jack so far is how much he loves being a Falcon,” BG coach Ty Eigner said. “I know that our hockey program means a lot to both Rob and Jack.”
Jack Blake (6-foot-1, 185 pounds) signed his letter of intent to play at BG in May of 2020.
“I was just waiting to get an offer from them,” he said. “My dad was telling me to sleep on it and to make sure I wanted to go there. But once they offered me, I knew it was where I wanted to go, because it's always been where I wanted to go. Then it was a no-brainer for me. It's such a cool thing.”
Rob Blake, who could not be reached for comment, tallied 104 points in three seasons (1987 to 1990) at BG, before going on to an illustrious NHL career with the Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche, and San Jose Sharks. He also helped Team Canada win a gold medal in the 2002 Olympics.
Jack Blake, who played last season in the Ontario Junior Hockey League, said the best stories were from his father’s days at the BGSU Ice Arena.
“My grandpa and grandma would tell me the stories about how all the fans would have the newspapers out and yelling, “Who's that?!' when they were announcing the away team's name. I thought that was really cool,” Jack Blake said. “I finally got to see that on my visit. It was awesome how they still had that going.”
Jack Blake, whose sister Brooke also attends BGSU, is already making a name for himself after being invited to the Los Angeles Kings’ prospects camp this summer.
“He handled himself very well out there,” Eigner said. “What he showed in the L.A. Kings development camp was that he could play with players who already played pro hockey, were drafted by the Kings, or have already played college hockey.”
Nelson Emerson, Kings director of player personnel and a fellow BGSU alum, praised Jack Blake’s performance at the camp.
“He was confident and capable,” Emerson said. “I think it was a great week for him. It makes sense for us to get a look at a player like him and for him to get that experience. He's ready for it.”
Emerson said Jack Blake already has a great understanding of the game.
“He's definitely a defender. He protects that part of the ice,” Emerson added. “Time and score are really important for a defenseman. He understands that part of it.”
Jack Blake earned an invite to the camp along with his former youth hockey teammate Quinn Emerson, who is the son of Nelson Emerson. Quinn Emerson, a 21-year-old forward, also will be a freshman at BGSU this season. The pair were coached by their fathers on the same teams growing up in Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Attending the development camp allowed Jack Blake to see what it takes to be a pro player.
“I thought I held my own. I did pretty well,” he said. “The speed was an adjustment the first day. But it was an awesome experience. I got to share the ice with a bunch of their guys that they drafted.”
The BG coaching staff first took notice of Jack Blake when he was playing at Shattuck St. Mary’s, an elite prep school program in Minnesota, for two seasons (2018 to 2020).
“We saw a young player who was smart, had good habits, and was a very reliable player,” Eigner said. “He is a great teammate and great human being. He has a great work ethic in the classroom, on the ice, and in the gym. He will be a very solid defenseman who his partner can trust. His hockey IQ and defensive game are his strengths right now.”
With his family lineage, having a high hockey IQ and love for the game has come naturally for Jack Blake.
Rob Blake won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman in 1998 and the Stanley Cup in 2001 before taking over as the Kings’ assistant general manager in 2013 and then GM in 2017.
“I've gotten to see a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff,” Jack Blake said. “He taught me all you have to do to be a good player. He also taught me some about the business side. He taught me what to do on a daily basis.”
Jack Blake was about 10 years old when his dad retired and shifted into a front office role.
“I remember when he played in San Jose the most. I was in elementary school, and I remember going to the rink with him one day, and he brought me on the ice,” Jack said. “All the other players had their kids on the ice, too. I remember skating with Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. At that age, I didn't really understand how cool that was, but as I got older, I got to appreciate that a lot more.”
Living in the Los Angeles area, Jack Blake could play sports year round, and he tried them all, but always gravitated toward hockey. He was originally a forward before switching to defenseman at age 12.
Nelson Emerson said Jack Blake has taken advantage of growing up in the game.
“Jack has played hockey his entire life, and he's always been Rob's son. He's had to deal with certain things that come to the table with that, but it's only helped him,” Emerson said. “Jack is his own player. He will be his own person for the Bowling Green Falcons.”
Jack Blake hopes work ethic is his calling card, and he wants to “outwork everyone.”
“I can be a shutdown defenseman that can turn into a two-way defenseman that can make plays,” he said. “I can help the team out on the PK and defensive zone and then add a little offense by jumping in the rush and being able to see the ice.
“I want to get into as many games as I can. I'm not too worried about points. I just have to work as a freshman to earn the coaches' trust.”
Eigner believes his young blue-liner already has solid physical attributes, including good size.
Jack Blake has made a strong first impression as he hopes to create his own Bowling Green hockey stories.
“Our expectations of Jack are for him to continue to do what he has done since he started with us last December,” Eigner said. “He comes to the rink early, does extra, and stays late. If he keeps doing that, he is going to be a solid contributor to our program.”
First Published August 30, 2022, 4:21 p.m.
