Does Joseph Toe Blake Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Before Toe Blake was one of the greatest coaches in NHL history, he was a pretty good player and one of the all time great playoff performers.

Listen to us talk about Toe Blake here:

Toe Blake’s Career:

• NHL: 1934-48; 14 seasons, 12 quality
• Totals:
  • 235G (7th All Time at his retirement),
  • 294A (2nd All Time at his retirement – Cowley) for 
  • 529P (t-2nd All Time at his retirement – Cowley) in
  • 577 Games (18th All Time at his retirement);
  • 52.6 Point Shares (25th All time at his retirement);
  • At his retirement, Blake was 18th All time in Offensive Point Shares
• Per Game: At his retirement, Blake was
  • T-8th All Time in GPG (14 qualifying players)
  • 2nd All Time in PPG (4 qualifying players – Cowley, Stewart, Syd Howe);
  • Blake doesn’t qualify for the APG leaderboard but if we lower the qualifier so he does (250A), at his retirement, Blake was
    • 2nd All Time in APG (5 qualifying players, Cowley, Boucher, Watson, Syd Howe)
• Era: Of the 13 skaters to play in at least 492 games (6 modern seasons) between 1934 and 1948, Blake is
  • 1st in Goals (by 31)
  • 1st in GPG
  • 2nd in Assists
  • 2nd in APG
  • 2nd in Points
  • 2nd in PPG
  • 2nd in Offensive Point Shares
  • 5th/4th Forward in Defensive Point Shares (9/8 qualifying Forwards)
  • 5th in Point Shares
  • 2nd in Games Played
• 82-game average: 34G, 42A for 75P
• 3-year peak (1942-45): 50-game average of 28G, 39A for 67P
• Playoffs:
  • 25G (t-3rd All time at his retirement – Richard, Drillon)
  • 37A (1st All Time at his retirement) for
  • 62P (1st All Time at his retirement by 9P) in
  • 58 playoff Games (20th All Time at his retirement)
  • Per Game: At his retirement, Blake was
    • 4th All Time in playoff GPG (Richard, Kennedy, Drillon – 7 qualifying players)
    • 2nd All Time in playoff APG (Lach – 3 qualifying players: Cowley)
    • 1st All Time (by .4) in playoff PPG (2 qualifying players: Apps)
  • Era: Of the 46 skaters to play in at least 41 playoff games between 1934 and 1948, Blake is
    • T-2nd in playoff Goals
    • 2nd in playoff GPG
    • 1st in playoff Assists
    • 1st in playoff APG (by .09)
    • 1st in playoff Points
    • 1st in playoff PPG (by .25)
    • 15th in playoff Games Played
• Adjustment for Era:
  • Hockey-Reference:
    • 300G,
    • 440A for
    • 740P
    • Adjusted 82-game average: 43G, 63A for 105P (+30P per 82 games)
    • Per Game: Blake is
      • T-24th All time in Adjusted GPG
      • 11th All Time in Adjusted PPG
  • VsX:
    • 434G,
    • 643A,
    • 911P
    • Per Game: Blake is
      • 14th All Time in VsX GPG
      • 10th All Time in VsX APG
      • 10th All Time in VsX PPG;
      • If the qualifier is raised to 410 games played, Blake is
        • 13th All Time in VsX GPG
        • 9th All Time in VsX APG
        • Still 10th All Time in VsX PPG
• Trades:
  • Traded at 23 with Ken Grivel (23) and Bill Miller (27) to the Canadiens for Lorne Chabot (35) – our 8th Greatest Habs Trade of All Time

Toe Blake’s Accomplishments:

• Hart (‘39)
• Lady Byng (‘46)
• 100 Greatest NHL Players
• All Star:
  • 1st Team All Star three times
  • 2nd Team twice
• Top Player:
  • Top 10 Player (by PS) twice (‘45, ‘46)
  • Best Offensive Player (by OPS) once (‘39)
  • Top five three times (‘45, ‘46)
  • Top 10 four times (‘43)
• Goals:
  • Leaderboards:
    • Top 5 in Goals three times
    • Top 10 four times
  • GPG leaderboards:
    • Top 5 in GPG three times
    • Top 10 five times
  • Single-season totals:
    • 25 goals three times (1 of only 13 players ever at his retirement)
    • 20 goals six times (1 of only 8 players ever at his retirement)
• Assists:
  • Leaderboards:
    • Top 5 in Assists once
    • Top 10 seven times
  • APG leaderboards:
    • Top 5 in APG once
    • Top 10 six times
• Points:
  • Leaderboards:
    • Led the league in Points once
    • Top 5 three times
    • Top 10 six times
  • PPG leaderboards:
    • Top 5 in PPG three times
    • Top 10 seven times
  • Single-season totals:
    • 60 points once (1 of only 22 players ever at his retirement)
    • 50 points five times (only player ever at his retirement)
• VsX Peak:
  • Best 7 Seasons:
    • 51st All Time in Goals
    • 66th All Time in Assists
    • 61st All Time in Points
  • Best 10 Seasons:
    • 41st All Time in Goals
    • 61st All Time in Assists
    • 54th All Time in Points

Toe Blake’s Great Teams:

• NHL:
  • Best Player? (led playoffs in assists and points) on one Champion (‘44 Habs)
  • Top 3 Forward (led playoffs in goals) on one Champion (‘46 Habs)
  • Top 3 Forward (led playoffs in assists) on one Runner Up (‘47 Habs)
  • Top 3 Forward (by points) on one Final Four (‘43 Habs)
  • Top 6 Forward (by points) on two Final Fours (‘37, ‘45 Habs)
  • Injury replacement? (1 game, 0 points) on one Champion (‘35 Maroons)
• Junior:
  • Unknown role on one Memorial Cup Champion (‘32 Sudbury)