Leukemia doesn’t get in the way of Ducks’ Jason Blake, acquired in Giguere trade

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The Ducks’ new forward Jason Blake, a former King, is a productive NHL player -- and he has leukemia, a highly treatable form he was diagnosed with in 2007.

Blake, 36, has 10 goals and 26 points this season and had 25 goals and 38 points last season, both for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia in October 2007, a season after scoring a career-high 40 goals for the New York Islanders.

‘It’s basically forgotten about now,’ Blake said. ‘I take a pill as someone would a vitamin every day.

‘I’m very fortunate to have doctors and medicine. ... At the end of the day, I never think about it. It doesn’t affect me.’

Blake, acquired today along with goaltender Vesa Toskala in the trade that sent goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere to Toronto, said he will join the team in time for Monday’s game at Florida and ‘be ready to play.’

‘I’m definitely very excited,’ he said. ‘It’s a new challenge and great opportunity to go to a team that has so many great players.’

-- Robyn Norwood