The Tampa Bay Lightning head to Raleigh to take on the Carolina Hurricanes for opening night. One of the standout inclusions on the opening night roster is prospect Conor Geekie.
The 20-year-old forward was acquired in the offseason in the trade that sent defenseman Mikhail Sergachev to the Utah Hockey Club. He had been expected to start his season with the Syracuse Crunch, the Lightning’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate.
Things change fast. Let’s dive into what Geekie cracking the opening night roster means for the Lightning.
A First Look at the Next Generation
Out went Steven Stamkos, in comes Geekie. Lightning fans will get a taste of the next generation of talent ahead of schedule. This is more symbolic than anything. However, that symbolism is going to matter.
Many fans are still upset about his departure and the end of an era. It’s not unjustified, but there needs to be something to counteract these emotions. Fans can be given something to be excited about. There is hope for a strong Lightning team in the future, and that future is closer than you think.
Geekie will get a chance to work with the veterans, some of which are future Hall of Famers. This gives him a chance to work on his craft with the best.
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When he scores his first goal, the team can push the “he has arrived” narrative. Even better, it will encourage everyone to check in on the other prospects. Remember, he is the “first” look. This gets everyone excited for the next to come.
Dylan Duke, for example, played with the Lightning during the preseason. His chances of playing with the NHL club this season look pretty good. Geekie arriving can help get fans excited for Duke and whoever could be on the way in 2024-25.
The Lightning Are Confident in Geekie’s Abilities
Ok, now on to the on-ice aspect of his addition to the opening night roster. Are injuries a factor in this addition? Yes, let’s be up front about that.
If Mikey Eyssimont or Gage Goncalves were available, Geekie would probably be heading to Syracuse to at least start the season. But look at it this way. The Lightning could have called up him and not a different depth piece or a different prospect. He stood out.
Ahead of his addition to the roster, Geekie had been seeing his workload increase in practice. He did everything he could to impress head coach Jon Cooper.
“When we’ve watched him play he’s not given us any excuses (to send him down),” Cooper said. “And he has continued to progress and he’s fit right in, and he’s outplayed everybody else that was in his way” (from ‘Lightning roster coming into focus as Milton, season opener loom,’ Tampa Bay Times, Oct. 7, 2024).
It helps too when you have standout moments in the preseason. He scored the game-winning goal against the Florida Panthers during their game in Orlando on Sept. 25.
All of these moments allow a player to make the jump from juniors straight to the NHL. Okay, he played two Calder Cup games with the Tuscon Roadrunners for those who want to be technical. But it’s essentially a leap. He played more games during the World Juniors than he has played in the minor league hockey system.
Could he end up in the AHL this season? Sure, it could turn out he’s not quite ready. But so far, he’s looking pretty good and he’s been rewarded with a shot to play alongside the big kids – some of which he grew up watching. The Lightning start their season on Oct. 11 in Raleigh against the Hurricanes. Puck drop is set for 7 pm EDT.
