Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - Part 5 of our multi-faceted series covering the 2022 NHL Draft takes us to our first player out of the Western Hockey League, Conor Geekie.
Geekie is an 18-year-old center playing for the Winnipeg Ice, which is the same junior league team that current Sabres forward Peyton Krebs played on during his junior career. The Ice is also coached by former Sabres defenseman and longtime assistant coach, James Patrick.
The Strathclair, Manitoba native is ranked fifth overall amongst North American skaters by the NHL Central Scouting system. He is projected to be picked anywhere between the 13th overall selection and 29th overall, which is a broad stroke for a player of his caliber.
He is also the younger brother of the Seattle Kraken center Morgan Geekie.
Geekie would most likely be on the Sabres' radar at the 16th overall pick, but there is a slight chance he could fall to them at 28th by some projections.
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Profile
The first thing anyone notices about Geekie is his size. Coming in at 6-foot-4 and 201 pounds, Geekie is a force at the center position.
Geekie’s game is stylized in the category of a two-way forward, meaning he’s not quite the play-driver as a power-forward, and that he’s also able to get back to assist on defense and almost act as a third defenseman.
He’s only played one full season in the WHL at 18-years-old, but in that one season, he recorded 70 points (24+46) in 63 games. He also added 11 points (3+8) in 15 playoff games.
The center is set to return to the WHL next season, as he still has eligibility left in the league with the Ice.
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Positives
The highlight of Geekie’s offensive game is his hands. Despite his size, he’s able to move effortlessly past some of the league's best defenders to open up a chance for a shot or easy pass to one of his teammates to set up a goal. This skill is highlighted a lot on the power play, where there’s more open ice for him to work with.
Although he’s a forward, his second-best attribute is his ability to play away from the puck in the defensive zone. Being the two-way center that he is, Geekie is very reliable for his team when in the defensive zone, cutting down passing lanes with a tremendously long reach and also working the physical game when needed as well.
With this defensive prowess, he was seen with high on-ice totals and a lot of his special teams time being on the penalty kill this past season. He has much defensive upside, which is the opposite of most forward prospects entering the draft.
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Negatives
While his hands were part of his positive attributes, they seem to also add a negative connotation to his game. At many times this season, Geekie was seen trying to stick-handle his way out of sticky situations when he could’ve made a simple pass to a teammate.
Part of his problem with being the playmaker he is is he will always look for the pass that is directly before the goal when this doesn’t necessarily always have to be the case.
Along with the stick-handling he could also improve on the explosiveness in his stride. Being the lumbering body that he is, Geekie has an incredibly long stride that can help get him up the ice seconds faster than other players around him. However, it’s been shown, at times, this season that he doesn’t use the full capabilities of that stride to generate enough speed.
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NHL comparison
Geekie showcases his best game on the defensive side of the puck, while also having great flashes on the offensive side. While this player hasn’t had the best seasons as of late, his earlier career showcased the same style of play to a tee.
Ryan Johansen was drafted fourth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2010 NHL Draft and has since moved to Nashville, but his style of play never changed. Johansen has always been a stellar puck handler in the offensive zone with a great defensive mindset in his own zone, as well.
Throughout his NHL career, Johansen has played 787 games, recording 527 points (177+350). He’s also played in 67 playoff games, notching 54 points (19+35).
Where does he fit on the Sabres?
If Geekie can improve his offensive game, he could be a half-and-half blend of Dylan Cozens and Tage Thompson, which would be a great addition for the Sabres to have. Cozens has always shown more of a defensive style of play for a forward, while Thompson really showcased his stick-handling and shooting abilities this past season.
Given Geekie’s age and current development, Sabres fans could see him take another year in the WHL to round out his game more, and then try to potentially make the NHL roster in 2024.
If the correct coaching methods are used on him while he’s still at this raw stage of development, he could turn into a very good second-line center for the team, or even step up to the first line when needed.
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