Attracting attention is nothing new for Wisconsin senior forward Blake Geoffrion. Since he decided to make advanced hockey part of his resume, he’s had to answer myriad questions about his last name (yes, he’s the grandson of NHL legend Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion) and his un-hockeycentric hometown (the Nashville suburb of Brentwood, Tenn.).

A year ago, the attention being paid to Geoffrion centered around the fact that his college hockey career, and his team’s fortunes, seemed to have stagnated. After a five-fold increase in points from his freshman to sophomore seasons, Geoffrion’s production actually went backwards as a junior and the Badgers failed to make the NCAA playoffs. Having come to Madison on the heels of Wisconsin’s 2006 NCAA title, expectations were high, and were going unfulfilled both by the team and by Geoffrion personally.

You won’t hear any grousing about his game or the Badgers fortunes today. Wisconsin is headed back to the Frozen Four and the imposing forward from Dixie has led the parade, racking up nearly 50 points and putting on an all-around hockey skills display in his final season in cardinal and white.

While pro scouts and Predators fans (he was a second-round pick of Nashville in 2006) rave about the offensive production and lightning-quick shot that earned him MVP honors at the West Regional, those who look closer note that he wins six out of every 10 faceoffs, and is the key to the shut-down penalty kill that has been quashing opponent hopes every time a Badger heads to the penalty box.

For his work offensively and defensively, leading the Badger parade to Ford Field and leading opponents’ power play units to ruin, INCH salutes Blake Geoffrion as college hockey’s 2010 player of the year.

Runner Up: Gustav Nyquist, Maine