The Tampa Bay Lightning have made several big moves this offseason. One of them was trading star defenseman Mikhail Sergachev to the Utah Hockey Club. While losing one of their best defenders certainly stings, the Lightning also did a very good job bringing in top prospect Conor Geekie as a part of the deal.
Geekie, 20, has all the potential to become a top-six forward in the NHL. It is the primary reason the Arizona Coyotes selected him with the 11th overall pick of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He is also heading in the right direction with his development, which makes bringing him in even more encouraging for the Lightning.
After posting 35 goals and 77 points with the Winnipeg Ice of the WHL in 2022-23, Geekie took his offense to a new level this past season. In 55 games split between the Wenatchee Wild and Swift Current Broncos, the Strathclair, Manitoba native posted 33 goals and a career-high 99 points. This kind of amount of production is very impressive and should make Lightning fans excited to have him in the club’s system.
Besides being very skilled, Geekie is also 6-foot-4 and not afraid to throw the body. In addition, he offers excellent versatility, being able to play both down the middle and on the wing. These qualities only make him an even more appealing prospect.
It will be fascinating to see what Geekie can do for the Lightning. There’s a real chance he will compete for a spot on the Lightning’s roster at training camp.
