Lightning Rookie Conor Geekie Fits Well in Top 6 Role – Hockey Writers – Tampa Bay Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated their old captain, Steven Stamkos, and the Nashville Predators in overtime on home ice Monday night (Oct. 28) in one of the biggest games of the season. Stamkos' replacement (Jake Guentzel) fed Nick Paul, who hit the game-winning bunt. Monday night's game was full of emotion, as the club begins to pass the torch to the next generation of players.

Related: Steven Stamkos' Homecoming Was the Emotional Night We've All Been Waiting For

Rookie Conor Geekie is key to the next generation of Bolts. The Lightning acquired this blue-chip prospect in the Mikhail Sergachev trade over the summer. The 6-foot-4 forward tore up the Western Hockey League (WHL) at the Canadian Junior A level with impressive performances as a member of the Winnipeg Ice, Wenatchee Wild, and Swift Current Broncos (via EliteProspects).

Geekie's Production Numbers and Seasonal Debuts

Spending two seasons after his draft day in the minors, Geekie played just two American Hockey League playoff games with the Tucson Roadrunners before making the jump to the NHL with Tampa Bay. In his first nine NHL games, Geekie has a goal and an assist. Although his point production has not been there, which is expected of a rookie with little professional experience, he has been a very important part of the lineup. Starting in a third-line role, he joined the front six with Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli. Since making the switch, his on-ice numbers have fluctuated.

Geekie ranks fifth on the Lightning in goals-against percentage (xGF%), commanding 55.08% of the on-ice share. The Lightning produced 17 dangerous shot attempts while giving up 14 against (HDCF%) and Geekie on the ice at 5-on-5 (via NaturalStatTrick). However, he has not been trusted in the defensive end by head coach Jon Cooper.

His 8.84 defensive first base percentage (DZS%) ranks 11th among the Lightning's top 13. Cooper relies on his defensive centers, like Luke Glendening and Cirelli, to move pucks out of the zone where the defense is drawn. Over time, I expect Geekie's role to continue to grow as he builds relationships with the coaching staff.

Geekie's Early Season Microstats Report Card

I plan to manually track lightning microstats throughout the 2024-25 season. This dataset will include data points such as passes, field entries, and additional statistics that the NHL does not include. I will continue to share my results throughout the season, so stay tuned for updates.

I've covered two of the Lightning's 5-to-5 games this season (Oct. 11 and Oct. 15), and Geekie has been successful in covering the holding area. He is tied for fifth in zone entries among Lightning forwards. However, it is what he does following the controlled entry that impressed me the most. He finds open teammates without rushing and creates scoring opportunities. His three-zone interception passes ranked third on the team (only leaders), and his two rushing touchdowns tied for second (only leaders). The rookie is playing with confidence in the early stages of his NHL career, as he has dropped the puck just once in five zone shots, giving Geekie a controlled penetration percentage of 80%.

An area where Geekie can hone his game is defensively on the boards. While still a center in his younger days, he has to rely on his size and speed against the wall. Geekie has clear three-zone exits versus no controlled zone exits (the player skates the puck out of the defensive zone in possession). In addition, he failed to get out of the zone twice, which shows that he can be strong on the puck.

What's Next for Geekie?

The Lightning's prized rookie's first nine NHL games have been solid. Geekie has made a name for himself on the roster and has the toolbox to be a solid secondary scorer by season's end. He's the best prospect the organization has seen in years, and the sky's the limit for the 20-year-old forward. The Lightning continue their season on Wednesday night (Oct. 30) against Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche.