Less than 10 games into his NHL career, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Conor Geekie made the most of a substantial opportunity on Tuesday.
Geekie played his first game as a member of Tampa Bay’s top six, skating on the second line with Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli in the team’s 8-5 win over the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center.
The 20-year-old looked like he belonged in his elevated role. Geekie recorded his first career NHL point with an assist when linemate Brandon Hagel scored after the NHL freshman dished him the puck on a 2-on-1 in the second period.
Geekie—or “Geeks” as his teammates call him—played 12 minutes, 48 seconds on Tuesday, recording one shot and finishing plus-3 on a season-high 25 shifts.
The Canadian forward is even in plus-minus with one point and four penalty minutes through six games. He ranks ninth on the team with six hits.
“Geeks was great tonight,” Cirelli said. “That pass that he made to Hags, he makes plays. He’s always in the right spot.”
Fans in Tampa were quick to find reasons to cheer for the roster’s youngest player after he was acquired along with defenseman JJ Moser in a June 29th trade with Utah Hockey Club.
Geekie’s new teammates are enjoying his presence, too.
“The kid can make plays,” Hagel said of Geekie after Tuesday’s win. “He likes to work hard, he’s a big body and I think he can compliment us really well…I think he has the ability to be a really good player in this league.”
Geekie has played most of this season in the bottom six but was elevated to the second line for Tuesday’s game after the team lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs by a 5-2 score on Monday.
The second line scored a combined eight points. Hagel scored three goals and one assist, Geekie got his first NHL point and Cirelli registered a career-best four assists.
Coach Jon Cooper was impressed with his first look at the players working as a trio. The line will again play together on Thursday against Minnesota, Cooper confirmed after Thursday's morning skate at AMALIE Arena.
“In the end it’s lines of three. And yes, have Tony and Hags been a great pair for a couple years? There’s no question,” Cooper said Wednesday. “But you put the kid (Geekie) up there to see what he can do, and I thought for one night he passed with flying colors. So we’ll see how this goes.”
Tampa Bay’s lineup will see tinkering throughout the year as opponents, playing styles and travel change. Geekie could work on the second line temporarily, or he could have found a new spot on the team’s lineup whiteboard for the foreseeable future.
Either way, Geekie’s teammates see why Tampa Bay’s front office staff were happy to acquire the young forward.
“He’s a big guy, he moves fast. He’s only 20, but you could see the poise he has with the puck and the plays that he can make,” Cirelli said. “On top of that he’s always in great position, so I think he has that kind of mindset that me and Hags do is just get in on the forecheck, get pucks, be on top all the time.
He’s playing really well.”
