Conor Geekie
, No. 5 in
NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters
eligible for the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft, likens his style of play to Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl.
"He maybe doesn't play the heavy game that I feel I would but I feel his vision and playmaking ability ... I carry those traits," Geekie said on the latest edition of the "NHL Draft Class" podcast. "He protects the puck well and he's good with his backhand. I'm probably not going to amount to him, from what he's done, but that's the goal. I feel I might play a heavier, chirpier game."
The 18-year-old center (6-foot-3, 190 pounds) had 70 points (24 goals, 46 assists) in 63 regular-season games with Winnipeg of the Western Hockey League, and 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 15 WHL playoff games.
His teammate, center
Matthew Savoie
(5-9, 170), is No. 4 in Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters.
"His speed and his IQ are what really make him one of a kind," Geekie said of Savoie. "He's also a great person outside the ice and I think that makes him the player he is as well."
Geekie also talked about
growing up with two older brothers
and the battles they had growing up in Strathclair, Manitoba.
"NHL Draft Class" co-hosts Adam Kimelman and Mike G. Morreale also chatted with two top International prospects, right wing
Joakim Kemell
(No. 2 in Central Scouting's
final ranking of International skaters
) of JYP in Finland, and defenseman
Simon Nemec
(No. 3) of Nitra in Slovakia.
Kemell talked about the shoulder injury that limited him to 39 games this season, and the hosts discussed Nemec's upside and the chance the right-hand shot (6-0, 199) has at being selected among the top-three picks at the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft.
The podcast is free, and listeners can subscribe on all podcast platforms, including iTunes, Spotify and Google Podcasts. It also is available on
NHL.com/multimedia/podcasts
and the NHL app.
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Listen: New episode of NHL Draft Class
