Montreal Canadiens: Blake Geoffrion Undergoes Surgery After Fracturing Skull

Montreal Canadiens forward Blake Geoffrion is recovering in the hospital after undergoing surgery for a depressed skull fracture, according to TSN.ca.

Geoffrion is currently playing for the Hamilton Bulldogs, the Montreal Canadiens AHL affiliate. He was injured in the first period of Friday night's game against the Syracuse Crunch. Geoffrion was skating along the boards with the puck when Syracuse defenseman Jean-Philippe Cote sent him flying to the ice with a hard body check.

Geoffrion was bleeding, but was able to get up and skate off the ice as Cote and Hamilton forward Mike Blunden were fighting. Cote was assessed a fighting major but was not penalized for the hit.

Fortunately, Geoffrion is expected to make a full recovery, but he will be out indefinitely, according to a press release from the Montreal Canadiens.

Hamilton’s head coach Sylvain Lefebvre believes Geoffrion was injured when he hit the ice.

Geoffrion was drafted 56th overall in the 2006 NHL entry draft by the Nashville Predators. He was traded to the Canadiens last season and scored two goals in 13 games with his new team. Geoffrion instantly became a fan favourite in Montreal.

The 24-year-old is the great-grandson of Habs' legend Howie Morenz and the grandson of Bernie Geoffrion. Blake’s father Dan Geoffrion also played for the Habs, as well as the original Winnipeg Jets.  

In 55 career games in the NHL, Geoffrion has eight goals and five assists for 13 points, to go along with his 34 penalty minutes.