Blake Geoffrion Blake Geoffrion ( born February 3 , 1988 ) is an American professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . He was a second round selection of the Predators , 56th overall , at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft . Geoffrion began his professional career in the American Hockey League ( AHL ) with the Milwaukee Admirals during the 2010 playoffs , and made his NHL debut on February 26 , 2011 . In doing so , he became the first fourth - generation player in the league ' s history , after his father Dan , grandfather Bernie and great - grandfather Howie Morenz . A graduate of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program , Geoffrion represented Team USA three times . He was a member of the gold medal winning team at the 2006 IIHF World U18 Championship and won bronze at the 2007 World Junior Hockey Championship . He moved on to the University of Wisconsin - Madison where he enjoyed a standout college career . He was a conference all - star in his senior year of 2009 – 10 , was also named the consensus All - American and Player of the Year and won the Hobey Baker Award as the top college player in the United States . Playing career . College . Geoffrion was born in Plantation , Florida , but grew up in Brentwood , Tennessee . He first attended the Culver Military Academy where he helped his team win the Indiana state championship in 2003 . 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 . From the USNTDP , Geoffrion was recruited to play with the University of Wisconsin - Madison Badgers . Geoffrion joined the Badgers in 2006 – 07 where he led the team in penalties with 62 minutes . He again played for Team USA , this time at the 2007 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships where he appeared in all seven of his team ' s games , registering one assist as the Americans won a bronze medal . In his sophomore season , Geoffrion improved to 30 points overall , and tied for the team lead with 19 points in Western Collegiate Hockey Association ( WCHA ) play . His teammates named him the most competitive player on the Badgers . He returned to the World Junior Hockey Championships in 2008 , scoring one point in six games while the Americans failed to win a medal . Named co - captain of the Badgers in his sophomore 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 . 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 . 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 . He was named a first - team all - star in both the WCHA and the NCAA - West . Additionally , Geoffrion was named US College Hockey Online ' s national player of the year , Soon after the Badgers reached the 2010 NCAA championship game , Geoffrion was named the winner of the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in American college hockey . In doing so , he became the first Wisconsin player to win the award . Geoffrion and the Badgers were unable to cap off their season with a championship , however , losing 5 – 0 to the Boston College Eagles before a world indoor record crowd of 37 , 592 at Ford Field in Detroit . Professional . Following his sophomore season with the Badgers , the Nashville Predators made Geoffrion their second round selection , 56th overall , at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft . He chose to complete his college career before turning to the professional game , and signed an amateur try - out contract with the Predators American Hockey League ( AHL ) affiliate , the Milwaukee Admirals to conclude the 2009 – 10 . He appeared in three playoff games with the Admirals , and scored two goals . The Predators signed Geoffrion to a 2 - year entry - level contract on June 15 , 2010 , making him the first native of Tennessee to sign an NHL deal . 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 . 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 . One night later , he made his National Hockey League debut against the Dallas Stars . He scored his first NHL goal , in his third game , against Edmonton Oilers goaltender Martin Gerber on March 1 . He registered his first hat trick on March 20 , 2011 , against the Buffalo Sabres . Family and personal life . Upon making his debut with the Predators , Geoffrion became the NHL ' s first fourth generation player . His great - grandfather ( paternal grandmother ' s father ) was Hockey Hall of Fame r Howie Morenz , and the man named the best hockey player of the first half of the 20th century by the Canadian Press . His paternal grandfather , Bernie " Boom - Boom " Geoffrion , is also a Hall of Famer and the man who invented the slap shot . ( Hence the nickname " Boom - Boom " . ) His father , Dan , played three NHL seasons with the Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets . Geoffrion ' s uncle by marriage , Hartland Monahan , was also an NHL player , while Hartland ' s son Shane is a Major League Baseball player . Geoffrion was close to his grandfather , and was the last person " Boom Boom " spoke to before his death in 2006 . Geoffrion wears # 5 in his honor , while his teammates have nicknamed him " Boomer " , after his grandfather . He has three brothers : Nick , Sebastien and Brice . He majored in consumer affairs at Wisconsin , 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 " .