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Hector (Toe) Blake

NHL, the National Hockey League is a premier professional North American Sports League played in indoor stadiums. It’s divided into two conferences, each comprising of three divisions of ice hockey teams.

Hector Blake was born on August 21, 1912 and was a Canadian ice hockey player and coach in the NHL. He played 14 NHL seasons from 1934 to 1948. Long before he became a coaching legend, left wing Hector Blake was a talented scorer and NHL star. He totaled 235 career goals, including six 20-goal seasons and became known as the Old Lamplighter in honor of his skill for putting the puck in the net. During the 1940s he formed one of the league's most dangerous lines, the Punch Line, with Maurice Richard and Elmer Lach.

Although his name was synonymous with the great Canadiens teams of the 1940s, Blake made his NHL debut with their crosstown rivals, the Maroons, just before the 1935 playoffs. They won the Stanley Cup that year, but because of Blake's inexperience he was demoted to watching from the bench. He started the 1935-36 season in Providence under coach Bert Battleship Leduc. In February 1936 the Canadiens acquired him when he was enjoying a solid year with the Reds of the Can-Am League. Blake played 11 games for the Canadiens that year and earned a full-time spot on the roster in 1936-37.

Blake's first two full NHL seasons were solid, but he took his game to a higher level with a league-leading 47 points in 1938-39. His effort was rewarded with the Hart Trophy and placement on the NHL First All-Star Team. He was teamed up with Elmer Lach and Maurice Richard in 1943 and the Punch Line led Montreal to the Stanley Cup later that season. In 1944-45, Blake notched a personal-best 67 points while helping linemate Richard becomes the first 50-goal shooter in NHL history.

Blake, with all his dedication and devotion in his play has achieved many goals in his overall hockey-playing career. He had the ability of defeating the opponent easily by giving some extra hard work and efforts.

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