‘It’s nice coming home’ Strathclair’s Geekie suits up for Tampa Bay in clash against Jets By: Ken Wiebe Posted: 5:59 PM CST Thursday, Mar. 5, 2026

Conor Geekie feels the difference, even if it’s not quite as noticeable to the casual viewer.

The Strathclair product has been told so many times about the need to work on his skating that he almost became numb to it.

But after his work with Barb Underhill since going to the Tampa Bay Lightning in a trade with the Utah Mammoth, let’s just say the results speak for themselves, even if the process is ongoing.

“Honestly, it’s with the straight-line skating,” Geekie said after the morning skate before the Lightning faced the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday at Canada Life Centre. “I’m always in the play now, I’m not necessarily behind or in front (of it), if that makes sense.”

After getting his first taste of the NHL last season, when he appeared in 52 games with the Lightning, Geekie has spent the bulk of this season in the American Hockey League.

This wasn’t a form of punishment by any stretch of the imagination, either.

With the strides he’s taken with his skating — both literally and figuratively — what Geekie needed most was the minutes and puck touches he could get with the Syracuse Crunch.

That’s why he spent the first 47 games of this season in the minors, honing his craft and taking the next step in his development.

“I’m just trying to go out there, put a smile on my face and have some fun.”

“It’s a good learning curve and I’m just trying to mature my game as much as possible,” said Geekie. “When you come up here, you’ve just got to play and have fun. It’s the same game I grew up playing.

“Last year and maybe at the start of this year, I got a little bit away from that and probably was focusing too much on wanting to be perfect. And you never are, no matter what you do. I’m just trying to go out there, put a smile on my face and have some fun.”

Chosen 11th overall in the 2022 NHL draft by the Arizona Coyotes, Geekie spent three full seasons with the Winnipeg Ice of the Western Hockey League, where he had 35 goals and 77 points in 66 games as an 18-year-old, then recorded 43 goals and 99 points the following season, which was split between the Wenatchee Wild and Swift Current Broncos.

Geekie was an important part of the return — which also included defenceman J.J. Moser — in the deal that sent defenceman Mikhail Sergachev to the Mammoth in the summer of 2024 and remains one of the top prospects in the organization.

Geekie values his time spent in the NHL last season, but admits there were times when his confidence was shaken and required some repair.

As someone who was used to piling up points almost at will at the junior level, being held to eight goals and 14 points in 52 games with the Lightning as a rookie brought a new set of challenges.

After the Lightning acquired forwards Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand from the Seattle Kraken at the NHL trade deadline, Geekie saw his minutes reduced and eventually he was sent down to the AHL.

Playing an enhanced role with the Crunch on a team that is 33-17-3-1 and battling for top spot in the North Division standings, Geekie has his mojo back and he’s hoping to get on a roll with the Lightning.

“Being able to get the opportunity to play here every time is special. It’s nice coming home.”

“Through junior and stuff, I always wanted to be the guy that played a lot and to be on the ice (in important situations),” said Geekie, who has added penalty killing responsibilities to his portfolio in the AHL and is improving his faceoff percentage. “To be able to get that opportunity (with the Crunch) is super nice for me. I’ve been having some success, so I’m just trying to take that and bring it up here.”

Geekie played his first NHL game of the season since October on Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild, taking 16 shifts for 10:40 of ice time, recording a shot on goal and four hits as he was used primarily on the fourth line.

Incorporating the physical element of his game at the NHL level is going to be one of the keys to becoming a regular.

“I’ve definitely added it into my game a bit more,” said Geekie. “When you watched me in junior, I wasn’t quite as physical. I was trying to be a bit like a Nikita Kucherov in junior, but nobody amounts to that. Again, I’m trying to bring something different and have a little flair to my game.

“I’m understanding situations (better). Like maybe you don’t try to toe drag here, just chip it in and go get it. I’m working on my skating every day that I can and I’m trying to learn the ins and outs of the game from the older guys. I’m just trying to complete my game.”

This is the second NHL game in Geekie’s home province and he was supported by family members (including his mom and dad and grandparents), friends and several members of his billet family from his time with the Ice.

“I feel very privileged,” said Geekie. “I pretty much played all of my junior hockey here and I’m from around here. Being able to get the opportunity to play here every time is special. It’s nice coming home.”

 

WORTH A CLAIM?

Of the eight players placed on waivers by NHL teams on Thursday, Vegas Golden Knights right-winger Alexander Holtz is someone who could generate some interest around these parts.

Holtz, 24, was chosen seventh overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 2020 NHL draft and he’s just two years removed from producing 16 goals and 28 points in 82 games during the 2023-24 season.

The Swedish forward is a strong skater and has three goals and nine points in 28 games with the Golden Knights this season, giving him 26 goals and 55 points in 191 NHL games.

The Winnipeg Jets have previously been linked to Holtz and since they don’t have a lot of right-handed shooting forwards in the system with NHL experience, he’s someone who looks like he’s worth taking a flier on.

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