Ken Block

Kenneth Richard Block (born March 18, 1944 in Steinbach, Manitoba) is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played 455 games in the World Hockey Association and one game in the National Hockey League. 
==Playing Career==
After a solid junior career with the Flin Flon Bombers, Block turned pro in 1964 and spent three seasons in the New York Rangers farm system without seeing any NHL action before being selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft. He would be a King for just two days before becoming the answer to a trivia question when he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for the rights to Hall of Famer Red Kelly, who had retired as a player but accepted a job coaching the Kings. Opportunities to break onto a deep Toronto squad were slim, and Block spent the next five seasons toiling for the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League, where he played on the same blueline with and was later coached by Don Cherry. 
Block would catch a break in 1970 when the owners of the WHL Vancouver Canucks were granted an NHL expansion franchise of the same name. Since the Canucks still owned his WHL rights from a stint there several years prior, his NHL rights were transferred to Vancouver. In 1970–71, Vancouver's inaugural season, Block would play his first and only NHL game.
Well-established as one of the better offensive defenders in the AHL, Block jumped at the chance to play at a higher level and move to the upstart World Hockey Association in 1972, joining the New York Raiders. His first season in the WHA would be the best of his career, as he recorded 5 goals and 53 assists for 58 points, good for 3rd amongst WHA defenders in assists and 6th in points. He would have another strong season in 1973–74, recording 3 goals and 43 assists for 46 points. However, the franchise proved unstable moving first to New Jersey and then to San Diego for the 1974–75 season.
Mid-way through the 1974–75 campaign, Block was dealt to the Indianapolis Racers, where he would play his final 5 seasons before retiring in 1979. In his last season, he played briefly with a young Wayne Gretzky before Gretzky was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers. With the dissolution of the WHA in 1979 and merger with the NHL, Block would be one of the few players to stay in the WHA from the beginning to end of its existence.
==Career Statistics==
===Regular Season and Playoffs===
  	  	  	 	Regular Season	Regular Season	Regular Season	Regular Season	Regular Season	 	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
1962–63 	Flin Flon Bombers 	SJHL 	 	54 	5 	11 	16 	34 	 	6 	2 	5 	7 	4
1963–64 	Flin Flon Bombers 	MJHL 	 	62 	14 	43 	57 	59 	 	2 	1 	3 	4 	0
1964–65 	New York Rovers 	EHL 	 	70 	5 	31 	36 	51 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1964–65 	Baltimore Clippers 	AHL 	 	5 	0 	2 	2 	2 	 	5 	1 	0 	1 	2
1965–66 	Baltimore Clippers 	AHL 	 	37 	2 	8 	10 	6 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1965–66 	Minnesota Rangers 	CPHL 	 	30 	0 	6 	6 	8 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1966–67 	Omaha Knights 	CPHL 	 	10 	0 	4 	4 	6 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1966–67 	Vancouver Canucks 	WHL 	 	62 	8 	22 	30 	18 	 	8 	1 	3 	4 	0
1967–68 	Memphis South Stars 	CPHL 	 	18 	5 	5 	10 	24 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1967–68 	Vancouver Canucks 	WHL 	 	17 	2 	6 	8 	4 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1967–68 	Rochester Americans 	AHL 	 	24 	1 	1 	2 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1968–69 	Vancouver Canucks 	WHL 	 	22 	1 	2 	3 	6 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1968–69 	Rochester Americans 	AHL 	 	45 	4 	15 	19 	10 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1969–70 	Rochester Americans 	AHL 	 	69 	9 	35 	44 	51 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1970–71 	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 	 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1970–71 	Rochester Americans 	AHL 	 	71 	5 	33 	38 	38 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1971–72 	Rochester Americans 	AHL 	 	71 	4 	29 	33 	69 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1972–73 	New York Raiders 	WHA 	 	78 	5 	53 	58 	43 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1973–74 	New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights	WHA 	 	74 	3 	43 	46 	22 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1974–75 	San Diego Mariners 	WHA 	 	36 	1 	11 	12 	12 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1974–75 	Indianapolis Racers 	WHA 	 	37 	0 	17 	17 	18 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1975–76 	Indianapolis Racers 	WHA 	 	79 	1 	25 	26 	28 	 	7 	0 	4 	4 	2
1976–77 	Indianapolis Racers 	WHA 	 	52 	3 	10 	13 	25 	 	9 	0 	2 	2 	6
1977–78 	Indianapolis Racers 	WHA 	 	77 	1 	25 	26 	34 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1978–79 	Indianapolis Racers 	WHA 	 	22 	2 	3 	5 	10 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL totals 	NHL totals 	NHL totals 	 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
WHA totals 	WHA totals 	WHA totals 	 	455 	16 	187 	203 	192 	 	16 	0 	6 	6 	8
AHL totals 	AHL totals 	AHL totals 	 	322 	25 	123 	148 	178 	 	5 	1 	0 	1 	2
WHL totals 	WHL totals 	WHL totals 	 	101 	11 	30 	41 	28 	 	8 	1 	3 	4 	0
CPHL totals	CPHL totals 	CPHL totals	 	48 	5 	11 	16 	30 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Gallery==
1972-73-Block-Kurt.jpg|Ken Block and Gary Kurt in 1972-73 season action.
1973-Nov-Morrison-McKenzie-Block-Junkin.jpg|Kevin Morrison, John McKenzie, Ken Block, Joe Junkin, November 1973.
==External Links==
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Category:Born in 1944
Category:Baltimore Clippers players
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Indianapolis Racers players
Category:Memphis South Stars players
Category:Omaha Knights (CHL) players
Category:Rochester Americans players
Category:San Diego Mariners players
Category:Vancouver Canucks players
Category:Vancouver Canucks (WHL) players
Category:New Jersey Knights players
Category:New York Golden Blades players
Category:Retired in 1979