Hamilton Bulldog Blake Geoffrion thanks fans after serious injury

After suffering serious injury Hamilton Bulldogs forward Blake Geoffrion is clear to return home. He suffered a depressed skull fracture during a game Nov. 9. Thursday he had a message for his fans, family and friends.

CBC News Posted: Nov 22, 2012 12:49 PM EST | Last Updated: November 22, 2012

Hamilton Bulldogsforward Blake Geoffrion has been cleared by theMontreal Canadiensmedical staff to return home for three weeks. He suffered a depressed skull fracture during a game between the Syracuse Crunch and the Bulldogs on Nov. 9 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

After a hip-check from Syracuse's Jean-Phillipe Ct, Blake's body flipped and his head hit Ct's skate. He left the ice almost immediately and was rushed to hospital.

Geoffrion is property of the Canadiens organization and played 13 games with the NHL team last season. He released a statement Thursday containing a message for all those who have supported him as he begins the long recovery from his injury.

Message from Hamilton Bulldog Blake Geoffrion:

"I want to sincerely thank all fans, friends, family members and everyone from the hockey world for the incredible support I have received," Geoffrion said in a statement.

"I am very happy to be home for Thanksgiving. I would like to thank Dr. Mulder and the club's medical staff, as well as the entire medical personnel at the Montreal General Hospital for their extraordinary care. I am very grateful to Geoff Molson and Marc Bergevin for the unrelenting support they have shown myself and the members of my family. I also wish to thank all members of the media for respecting this healing period."

Thursday morning Geoffrion also expressed his thanks overfromhis twitter account,@BlakeGeoffrion. He wrote "Happy thanksgiving everyone. Very blessed and thankful for everything I have been given in my life. All because of the man above. #phil4:13 "

Geoffrion's father, former NHL player Danny Geoffrion, told CBC News that doctors had made several life-saving decisions and that he expects his son to make a full recovery.

"If it wasn't for a couple of quick calls that the trainer and the doctor made there on the spot to get him into the ambulance and into the hospital, Blake could not have been here with us today or have severe brain damage."

Medical staff expect Geoffrion, 24,will makea complete recovery from his injury.

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