Season stats: 34 games played, 19 Goals, 18 Assists, 30 PIM, +/- 22
Geekie averages 2.79 shots a game and a solid 51% in the faceoff circle.
Born in Strathclair, Manitoba, Conor Geekie plays for his hometown Winnipeg Ice of the Western Hockey League (WHL). After a strong 2021-22 season in which he scored 24 goals and contributed 46 assists for 70 points, the Coyotes and General Manager Bill Armstrong drafted Geekie 11th overall at the 2022 draft held in Montreal.
While many scouts had Geekie ranked in the first round, the majority had him later in the first round, closer to 15-20th overall. Geekie, however, fits the mold of a perfect 2nd line center for a team that already boasts the immense speed and skill of Logan Cooley at center. What Geekie lacks in finesse and speed, he offers a strong defensive game, solid faceoff skills, and some incredible skill for such a large man. Speaking of his size, Geekie comes in at a staggering 6 foot 4 inches and 203 pounds. With size like that, he possesses the strength to overpower his junior-level opponents. His most considerable weakness remains his skating. Something of a trend in the Geekie family (his brother Morgan plays for the Seattle Kraken and also has skating issues) Geekie needs to continue to work on his acceleration. His skating is adequate at best, but the time it takes to get up to full gear could cause issues in the future. Luckily for Geekie (and the Coyotes), he has the body control and skill which allows him to remain in control of the puck in tight situations.
Enough cannot be said about his two-way game. Geekie has very solid faceoff skills, which should translate to the NHL, given his size. He also has a long stick that allows him to cover a wide area of the ice. Even if Geekie doesn’t develop into an elite 2nd line-scoring forward, his defensive skills should allow him to become an elite penalty-killer for years to come.
Conor Geekie is a big part of the plan in Arizona. This first-round player seems to be excelling in big moments for the Winnipeg Ice. He is not far removed from seeing NHL ice time. He will be a cornerstone player in Arizona for years to come.
Moving away from Geekie’s future, let’s talk about how his current season is progressing. While his current season output of 37 points in 34 games doesn’t jump off the page, it is important to remember that the Winnipeg Ice is a dominant team, holding a 29-6-2 record this season. Winnipeg also added Zack Osyapchuk (Ottawa 2nd round pick) and Easton Armstrong at this year’s trade deadline. While both players are wingers, it wouldn’t be shocking to expect Geekie’s ice time to drop, or at the very least, his offensive zone starts to fall as he continues to get the tough assignments for the team. However, Coyote fans shouldn’t take this as a negative, as the continued time in the defensive zone will only strengthen Geekie’s already strong defensive prowess.
Looking to the future, the most likely outcome is another year in Winnipeg for Geekie. Assuming Geekie returns to Winnipeg next season and continues to grow his offensive game, I would not be shocked if he made his NHL debut during the 2024-2025 season. I would consider this a positive, however, as Matthew Savoie probably won’t be returning, and Geekie will get a real opportunity to guide the team offensively and play a ton.
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