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Former Wisconsin hockey captain Blake Geoffrion has announced his intentions to retire from professional ice hockey, according to a tweet on Wednesday from ESPN's John Buccigross.
2010 Hobey Baker winner (Wisconsin) Blake Geoffrion has informed Montreal Canadiens management that he plans to retire from Pro Hockey.
— John Buccigross (@Buccigross) March 13, 2013
UPDATE: Retirement talk may have been a bit premature.
Just spoke to Danny Geoffrion, Blake's dad. He says Blake hasn't retired yet, but simply given notice to Canadiens that he's considering it.
— John Glennon (@glennonsports) March 13, 2013
Danny Geoffrion said Blake's decision will come in next few weeks. He hasn't skated much since suffering skull fracture last year.
— John Glennon (@glennonsports) March 13, 2013
Danny Geoffrion on Blake: "I’m not saying he’s not going to (retire). (But) he just put the Canadiens on notice that it’s a possibility."
— John Glennon (@glennonsports) March 13, 2013
If you recall back in November, Geoffrion suffered a serious head injury in a minor league game during the NHL lockout that put him in critical condition.
An NHL prospect of the Montreal Canadiens, Geoffrion had been playing with their top farm club, the Hamilton Bulldogs. Geoffrion was leading the club in scoring through 10 games with four goals and two assists.
In a Nov. 9 game vs. Syracuse, Crunch forward J.P. Cote landed a hip check on the former Badger center and sent him tumbling to the ice. Geoffrion's legs flew up in the air after impact, and his head was thrust into the ice.
The game was being played at the Bell Centre in Montreal, and Geoffrion was immediate rushed to a local hospital. According to the Canadiens, Geoffrion suffered a depressed skull fracture and doctors performed surgery immediately that night.
This morning, Buccigross passed on this message from Geoffrion on Twitter:
"I love the game of hockey more than anything and this decision tears me up inside but we are talking about my brain."
A Brentwood, Tenn., native, Geoffrion saw his four year career at Wisconsin culminate with an appearance in the 2010 Frozen Four. Geoffrion was also named that season's Hobey Baker Award winner, which is awarded to the top player in college hockey.
A second-round draft pick of the Nashville Predators, Geoffrion was traded to the Montreal Canadiens last season in a package that sent Hal Gill to the Predators.
The grandson of Bernie "Boom-Boom" Geoffrion and great-grandson of Howie Morenz, Geoffrion is the NHL's first four-generation player.
Geoffrion has played 55 games in the NHL in stints with Nashville and Montreal, registering eight goals and five assists.
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