The Tampa Bay Lightning are Stanley Cup contenders each season, and as a consequence, their prospect pool is thin, but they still managed to have a prospect appear in The Athletic's top 100 NHL prospects list, by way of Conor Geekie.
Geekie spent the majority of the 2024-25 season in the NHL, notching eight goals and 14 points in 52 games. He did spend some time in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch, scoring 11 goals and 20 points in 24 games. His season ranked him at 78th on Scott Wheeler's list.
His short stint in the AHL was evidence that he was too big and skilled for the minor leagues, but he struggled to remain consistent while playing in a bottom-six role in the NHL. Despite that, Geekie's rookie season can be considered a success and a solid next step in his development. Listed at 6-foot-4, 207 pounds, the 21-year-old has the frame of a player who can succeed placed anywhere in the lineup.
"He's a big forward (6-foot-4, 207 pounds) who can play both center and wing. He has clear skill as a handler, passer and shooter and a comfort trying things with the puck that I admire and you don’t often see in players his size. He has impressive hands and body control for his size, which helps him control pucks inside the offensive zone and make plays while also getting the upper hand in board battles," said Wheeler. "He plays through bumps and thrives taking pucks from the cycle to dangerous areas, pushing through the guts of the ice in control, or even drifting to the perimeter in control to facilitate."
Tampa Bay Lightning's 2024-25 season is officially over, and it certainly ended in a tough fashion for the Bolts. After entering the post-season with high hopes, the Lightning lost to the Florida Panthers in the first round in just five games.
Although Geekie has all the tools of a legitimate NHL player, Wheeler believes there are things he can do to improve his game.
"I do find he forces things too much by trying to go one-on-one and create something that’s not there. There’s also a hunch to his stride. He has some work to do in the faceoff circle, too. But it’s hard to deny the impressive size-hands combination he has considering his length. He has a real ability to hang onto the puck, draw players into him and then make plays through or around them. He processes the game quickly offensively, knowing where he wants to go with the puck early and constantly pre-surveying so that he always knows where his options are. He makes an unusual amount of soft little plays for a player his size and can attack into coverage because of his hands. He’s really quite comfortable in control of the puck. He’s also got a hard wrister."
Geekie is a proven offensive producer, doing so in the WHL, AHL and International tournaments. It's seemingly just a matter of time until Geekie breaks into the Lightning's top six.
