Blake Geoffrion out indefinitely with Fractured Skull

[hf101]

Montreal Canadiens forward Blake Geoffrion remains in hospital after taking a hit Friday night while playing for the team's American Hockey League affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs.

The NHL club issued a statement Saturday saying the 24-year-old underwent surgery for a depressed skull fracture and is expected to make a full recovery.

Geoffrion, playing for the Hamilton Bulldogs in a game held at the Bell Centre, was caught with his head down as he drove along the boards by Syracuse Crunch defenceman Jean-Philippe Cote in the first period.

Geoffrion was bleeding and holding his hands to his face when he skated off the ice to go to the dressing room.

Hamilton coach Sylvain Lefebvre said he believed Geoffrion was injured when he fell to the ice.

Cote was not penalized for his devastating but clean hit, though he did get a fighting major for scrapping with Bulldogs forward Mike Blunden, who came after him right after the hit.

Geoffrion had two goals in 13 games last season for the Canadiens.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=409222

Looks like he was Kornwalled. At some point I think the league will find a way to make this style of hit illegal.

[flyerrod]

@hf101

It might have been a "clean" hit but it is one that needs to stop. It really did remind me of Kronwall/Kasparitus style hit. It does nothing but lead to injury and it needs to be removed from the game.

[hf101]

@hf101

It might have been a "clean" hit but it is one that needs to stop. It really did remind me of Kronwall/Kasparitus style hit. It does nothing but lead to injury and it needs to be removed from the game.

agreed...right now it is about the only free pass allowed with a prescribed opponent knock out. Maybe I will add a poll.

[AlaskaFlyerFan]

Ouch! He had emergency surgery for a depressed skull fracture. I think they were picking up some teeth at the end of that clip.

I voted "I'm Not Sure". I don't like to see guys getting hurt, but I don't want hockey to turn into basketball. Geoffrion had his head up all the way on the play. How could he not see that hit coming?!?

[hf101]

How could he not see that hit coming?!?

Well Cote was bent over backwards so he was at half height.....but this is what gets me, a player gliding in forward would be called for charging, but if he deliberately glides in backwards with a deliberate hip check into the boards it is legal. The play should have been called a charging major with intent to injure imo.

I think the league needs to take a closer look at this hit technique that Kornwall has made famous and call the play the same regardless of the direction the skates are facing.

[Vanflyer]

The play should have been called a charging major with intent to injure imo.

I think the league needs to take a closer look at this hit technique that Kornwall has made famous and call the play the same regardless of the direction the skates are facing.

I agree 100%. What Kronwall has done and players like Cote is completely destroy the intent of the hip check. People should check Rob Blake for what the definition of a good hip check is.

[Puck]

So in theory, the rule could be any player delivering a hit has to be facing his opponent... That seems to be the logical way to do it. This would eliminate the hip check altogether but would eliminate some dangerous hits without completely taking hitting out of the game.

[MDFlyerFan]

I voted "not sure". I agree the head shots need to go while not wanting to see a no-checking league either.

Maybe I'll look at some footage from the NHL in the 50's. No helmets, minimal padding, and if I recall there wasn't the same types of hits like this.

[Puck]

I voted "not sure". I agree the head shots need to go while not wanting to see a no-checking league either.

Maybe I'll look at some footage from the NHL in the 50's. No helmets, minimal padding, and if I recall there wasn't the same types of hits like this.

In the 50's the players weren't as big, as heavy, as strong, as fast, etc... Plus they were wearing soft cap padding instead of the hard plastic lethal weapons today's NHLers wear on their elbows and shoulders.

[brelic]

I'm also not sure. It was a legal hit, it was nowhere near the head. Was it a blindside? Kinda, I guess. It was definitely east-west, and Geoffrion was skating pretty fast in a fair amount of traffic so it's possible he didn't even see the guy coming.

[jammer2]

@hf101 To make matters worse, I heard is skull is now injured

[hf101]

@jammer2

Fixed. Thanks

[AlaskaFlyerFan]

Well Cote was bent over backwards so he was at half height.....but this is what gets me, a player gliding in forward would be called for charging, but if he deliberately glides in backwards with a deliberate hip check into the boards it is legal. The play should have been called a charging major with intent to injure imo.

I think the league needs to take a closer look at this hit technique that Kornwall has made famous and call the play the same regardless of the direction the skates are facing.

I don't know. I went back and looked at the hit (several times). I don't think I would classify this as "Kronwalled". Cote comes in low and explodes upward, but does not make contact with Geoffrion's head. Kronwall comes in more upright and would have made direct contact with the head. Kronwall also seems to take more of a "on the same track" line at the player he is going to hit. Cote's hit was perpendicular. It looks like Cote's entire right side (shoulder, arm, hip, etc) makes contact with Geoffrion's chest. Geoffrion's head does not snap back or forward for that matter.

I've never seen a charging call when a guy comes in skating backwards like that. Violent hit...absolutely. Penalty...definately in youth hockey, but at the AHL/NHL level? I really don't think so.

[jammer2]

@AlaskaFlyerFan I agree AFF. I grew up watching that kinda hit. Like you said, vicious....yes, penalty at the NHL level no. In fact, to call this a penalty would be a dangerous slippery slope. The league is pussied up enough, good Lord, don't take away the hip check. Another note, sure he lined him up for a long time, but the player with the puck should have his head on a swivel. It's the puck carriers job to see/sense that damage coming. The head was not targeted, nothing wrong with that hit. A hockey play, pure and simple.

[Polaris922]

I've said my piece before about Krinwall hits being dirty half the time because he thrusts upward leaving his skates on impact. This doesn't look that way to me. Just looks like a clean hip check and the damage comes from hitting the ice. Vote doesn't use elbows or knees and stays low, never pushing up that I can see.