Blake Geoffrion
Blake Geoffrion | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Born |
Plantation, Florida, U.S. | February 3, 1988|||||
Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | |||||
Weight | 188 lb (85 kg; 13 st 6 lb) | |||||
Position | Center | |||||
Shot | Left | |||||
Played for |
NHL Draft | 56th overall, | ||||
Playing career | 2010–2013 |
Blake Daniel Geoffrion (born February 3, 1988) is an American former professional
A graduate of the
Playing career
Early life and playing career
Geoffrion was born in Plantation, Florida, but grew up in Brentwood, Tennessee.[1] As a youth, he played in the 2002 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Cleveland.[2]
He first attended the Culver Military Academy where he helped his team win the Indiana state championship in 2003.[3] He was invited to join the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (USNTDP) where he spent two seasons between 2004 and 2006. He made his international debut with Team USA at the 2006 IIHF World Under-18 Championship. He scored five points in six games in the tournament for the gold medal winning Americans.[4]
During the 2012-13 season, Geoffrion suffered a fractured skull which ultimately put an end to his professional hockey career.
College
From the USNTDP, Geoffrion was recruited to play with the
Geoffrion joined the Badgers in 2006–07 where he led the team in
Named co-captain of the Badgers in his junior season of 2008–09, Geoffrion led his team in goals within the WCHA with 12 and tied for the lead overall at 15. His overall total of 28 points was fourth best on the team.[3] Serving as a tri-captain, he led the WCHA in goal scoring in 2009-10 with 19 and was second in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) with 28. He reached the 50-goal plateau for his college career on March 13 and 100 points on February 19.[3] Considered one of the NCAA's most complete players, Geoffrion was his team's top faceoff performer and was praised for the way his play improved as his team's games grew in importance.[7]
He was named a first-team all-star in both the WCHA and the NCAA-West.
Professional
Following his sophomore season with the Badgers, the
The Predators signed Geoffrion to a two-year entry-level contract on June 15, 2010.[14][15] He was assigned back to Milwaukee to begin the 2010–11 AHL season where he struggled to begin the season before injuries and the promotion of other players to Nashville opened up more ice time for him. After scoring 16 points in his first 31 games of the season, Geoffrion improved to 17 points in seven games at the end of January and beginning of February. His scoring outburst made him the first player to earn consecutive AHL player of the week since Jim Carey in 1994.[16]
As a result of his improved play Geoffrion was recalled to Nashville on February 25, 2011. After Jared Ross, he became the second player raised in the American South to participate in an NHL game.[17] One night later, he made his National Hockey League debut against the Dallas Stars.[18] He scored his first NHL goal, in his third game, against Edmonton Oilers goaltender Martin Gerber on March 1. Geoffrion registered his first hat trick on March 20, 2011, against the Buffalo Sabres.[citation needed]
On February 17, 2012, Geoffrion was traded to the
Geoffrion began the 2012–13 season with the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs. During a November 9, 2012, game against the Syracuse Crunch, he suffered a depressed skull fracture following a hip check by Jean-Philippe Côté.[21] As Geoffrion fell to the ice, his head struck the end of Côté's skate blade, causing the injury. He required emergency surgery to repair the fracture and was initially expected to make a full recovery.[22] Four months after the injury, Geoffrion informed the Canadiens that he was contemplating retirement due to the injury, though he had not come to a final decision.[23] He eventually decided to retire from professional hockey on July 15, 2013, at the age of 25.[24] The following day he was hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets as a pro scout.[25]
After two seasons with the Blue Jackets as a scout, Geoffrion moved into management, being selected as the assistant general manager of Columbus' AHL affiliate, the
Family and personal life
Upon making his debut with the Predators, Geoffrion became the NHL's first fourth generation player (though not directly 4 generations because his grandfather Bernie married Howie Morenz's daughter.).
His father,
Geoffrion's uncle by marriage, Hartland Monahan, was also an NHL player, while Hartland's son, Shane, was a Major League Baseball player.[30]
Geoffrion was close to his grandfather and was the last person "Boom Boom" spoke to before his death in 2006. Geoffrion wore #5 while with the Predators in his honor, while his teammates have nicknamed him "Boomer", after his grandfather.[15] He has three brothers: Nick, Sebastien and Brice.[3]
He majored in consumer affairs at Wisconsin[3] and is associated with a marketing firm in Madison. He continues to learn about marketing and public relations, and writes a weekly blog for Nashville newspaper The Tennessean.[31]
Geoffrion got engaged to his girlfriend Katelyn Deady in June 2012.[32]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
Regular season
|
Playoffs | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
2003–04 | Culver Military Academy
|
HS Prep | 45 | 12 | 28 | 40 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2004–05 | U.S. NTDP U17 | USDP | 11 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2004–05 | U.S. NTDP U18 | NAHL | 37 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 62 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 23 | ||
2005–06 | U.S. NTDP U18 | USDP | 41 | 12 | 14 | 26 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2005–06 | U.S. NTDP U18 | NAHL | 13 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2006–07 | University of Wisconsin | WCHA | 36 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2007–08 | University of Wisconsin | WCHA | 36 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2008–09 | University of Wisconsin | WCHA | 35 | 15 | 13 | 28 | 73 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2009–10 | University of Wisconsin | WCHA | 40 | 28 | 22 | 50 | 56 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2009–10 | Milwaukee Admirals | AHL | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
2010–11 | Milwaukee Admirals | AHL | 45 | 11 | 26 | 37 | 38 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
2010–11 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 20 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
2011–12 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 22 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2011–12 | Milwaukee Admirals | AHL | 20 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2011–12 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 9 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2011–12 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 13 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2012–13 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 10 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
AHL totals | 84 | 21 | 43 | 64 | 59 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | ||||
NHL totals | 55 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 34 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
International
Medal record | ||
---|---|---|
Representing United States | ||
Ice hockey | ||
World Junior Championships
| ||
2007 Mora | ||
IIHF U18 Championships
| ||
2006 Halmstad |
Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2005 | United States
|
U17 | 5th | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | |
2006 | United States | WJC18
|
6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 8 | ||
2007 | United States | WJC
|
7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
2008 | United States | WJC | 4th | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | |
Junior totals | 24 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 24 |
Awards and honors
Award | Year | |
---|---|---|
College
| ||
All- First Team
|
2009–10
|
|
AHCA West First-Team All-American | 2009–10 | |
West First Team All-American | 2009–10 | |
Hobey Baker Memorial Award
|
2009–10 | |
Nominated for ESPY Award for Best Male College Athlete | 2010 |
See also
References
- ^ "Chat live with Wisconsin forward Blake Geoffrion". CSTV. January 22, 2008. Archived from the original on January 23, 2008. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Blake Geoffrion player profile". University of Wisconsin-Madison. Archived from the original on December 29, 2010. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ "Player statistics by team: USA" (PDF). IIHF. August 25, 2006. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ "Player statistics by team – USA" (PDF). IIHF. January 5, 2007. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ "Player statistics by team – USA" (PDF). IIHF. January 5, 2008. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ "UW's Geoffrion named a Hobey Baker finalist". WKOW. March 31, 2010. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ a b "Blake Geoffrion profile". The Sports Network. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ "USCHO Awards: In Mr. Everything Role, Geoffrion is Nation's Best". US College Hockey Online. April 15, 2010. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ "Wisconsin's Blake Geoffrion wins Hobey Baker Award". The Sports Network. April 9, 2010. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ Lerch, Chris (April 9, 2010). "Geoffrion First Wisconsin Player to Win Hobey Baker Award". US College Hockey Online. Archived from the original on April 12, 2010. Retrieved April 10, 2010.
- ^ Gerstner, Joanne (April 10, 2010). "B.C. wins 4th N.C.A.A. title, crushing Wisconsin before record crowd". New York Times. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ Milwaukee Admirals (April 16, 2010). "Admirals sign Blake Geoffrion; Will join team for playoff run". Nashville Predators Hockey Club. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
- ^ "Preds Sign Brentwood Native Blake Geoffrion". Nashville Predators Hockey Club. June 15, 2010. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ a b Van Diest, Derek (March 1, 2011). "Predators' Geoffrion excited by opportunity". Toronto Sun. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ Kramer, Lindsay (February 11, 2011). "Geoffrion starting to get a good read on AHL". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on February 12, 2011. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ Cooper, Josh (February 25, 2011). "Predators call up Brentwood's Blake Geoffrion". The Tennessean. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ a b c Meltzer, Bill (February 26, 2011). "Predators' Geoffrion Carries on the Name". Versus. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ "Canadiens acquire Geoffrion from Predators in trade for Gill". TSN. February 17, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- ^ Montreal Canadiens (February 17, 2012). "All in the family". Canadiens.com. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
- ^ "VIDEO: Near-fatal skull fracture jeopardizes Blake Geoffrion's NHL dream". Hamilton Spectator. November 12, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
- ^ Branswell, Brenda (November 13, 2012). "Danny Geoffrion thankful for care his son, Blake, received after head injury". Montreal Gazette. p. A20. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
- ^ Glennon, John (March 13, 2013). "Blake Geoffrion pondering retirement, his father says". The Tennessean. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
- ^ "Canadiens' Geoffrion Steps Away From Hockey At Age 25". TSN. July 15, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
- ^ Gretz, Adam (July 16, 2013). "Blake Geoffrion hired as pro scout for Columbus Blue Jackets". CBS Sports. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
- Lake Erie Monsters. July 19, 2016. Archived from the originalon July 30, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
- ^ "Preds Call Up Blake Geoffrion and Matt Halischuk From Milwaukee". Nashville Predators. February 25, 2011. Retrieved March 7, 2011.
- ^ "Howie Morenz: Hockey Royalty". February 24, 2021.
- ISBN 978-1-55407-662-8.
- ^ Matheson, Jim (March 1, 2011). "Predators' Geoffrion a fourth-generation NHL player". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ Mertz, Adam (February 17, 2011). "Ex-Badger Geoffrion continues to brew up 'storybook career'". The Capital Times. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ "Brice Geoffrion on Twitter: "Congrats to @BlakeGeoffrion and @katelyndeady on getting engaged! So happy for them. Love you guys! #welcometothefamily"". Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
- Blake Geoffrion on Twitter