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Hobey Baker winner Geoffrion inks contract with Preds…

2010 Hobey Baker Award winner – and USA Hockey’s College Player of the Year – Blake Geoffrion has signed an entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators.

He inked his first pro contract at his alma mater of Granbery Elementary School in Brentwood, becoming the first native-Tennessean to sign an NHL contract.

Geoffrion, Nashville’s second round pick in 2006, played in the National Championship game this past season with the Wisconsin Badgers and even tallied two goals in three playoff games with the Milwaukee Admirals before getting injured.

General Manager David Poile and the Preds were under some pressure to get Geoffrion signed as he was set to become a Restricted Free Agent in a couple months according to the rule that a college player must be signed by the team that drafted him by the August 15 following his senior year.

But, let’s be honest, the pressure was on Nashville more so because of how important he is to the franchise as far as depth is concerned. First of all, he’s a left wing and the Preds don’t have many of those. Secondly, along with Colin Wilson, Zach Budish and hopefully Cal O’Reilly (sorry, I still believe), Geoffrion is very much a part of the offensive future of the franchise. Throw in a couple blue chip prospect defensemen in Jon Blum, Ryan Ellis and Roman Josi and you’re looking at the heart and soul of the 2012-13 Nashville Predators.

You could read more about the signing at the Predators official website.