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Post by SeaBass on Jul 3, 2023 8:11:18 GMT -5
Please keep the content in this thread Geekie related.
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Post by SeaBass on Sept 11, 2023 13:28:52 GMT -5
New Bruins center Morgan Geekie, 25, arrived in town over Labor Day weekend, accompanied by his mother (Tobi) on the 2,000-mile drive from Strathclair, Manitoba, the farming village (population: approximately 150) where he met his wife, the former Emma Coulter.
The Coulter and Geekie families were friends back home for years, which led, in part, to Morgan and Emma eventually making passes. Lest anyone begin to wonder whether they’ve stumbled across the Love Letters edition of Sunday Hockey Notes, the couple literally traded passes, often with Morgan at center and Emma one of his wingers on various Strathclair hockey teams when they were ages 10-14.
“Yep, that’s how it started, me and her,” recalled Geekie, who eventually became the 67th pick (Carolina) in the 2017 NHL draft. “She was always a little more physical than I was, you know, a little more rowdy. So I definitely liked playing on the same line with her and not against her.”
Emma, who continued to play in college, will arrive in town soon with the couple’s first child, Gabby, who was born in April. The plan is for all of them to be here for at least the next two years, perhaps longer, if Geekie fits in as projected with a Bruins team in dire need of bolstering the center position in the wake of the Patrice Bergeron/David Krejci retirements.
Geekie, signed to a two-year UFA deal July 1, is a speedy and rangy center (6 feet 3 inches, 205 pounds) with room for his game to grow. For the most part, he has been a third- and fourth-line contributor in his three-plus NHL seasons, the last two of which were with Seattle.
“My first time as a free agent,” offered Geekie, who learned via Twitter as summer approached that the Kraken chose not to qualify him. “Seattle had a great season. The playoffs were fun and we did some things that not a lot of people expected us to do.
“I’d never not been qualified before, so I was kind of in limbo. Then July 1 came and it was all just a whirlwind couple of days.”
Geekie and Brandon Carlo, now with seven seasons logged on the Bruins backline, were junior teammates at WHL Tri-City. When varsity camp opens here Sept. 20, another familiar face in the dressing room will be Patrick Brown, the ex-Boston College Eagle who also signed with the Bruins as a free agent over the summer.
“I’m excited,” said Geekie, who participated in his first captains’ practice Tuesday in Brighton. “I’ve loved playing in Boston — not that I’ve played there a lot, obviously.
“My first year [with Carolina] was the COVID year, and then I was playing on the other coast. But I’ve heard nothing but great things about the group of guys and the organization. So I am super excited.”
Headed into camp, coach Jim Montgomery’s depth chart has Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle penciled in for the No. 1 and 2 center spots, respectively. Trent Frederic, Jesper Boqvist, Brown, and Geekie would be the logical candidates to sort out the 3-4 holes, unless general manager Don Sweeney were to pull off a major trade for a high-profile center such as, say, Mark Scheifele (Winnipeg) or Elias Lindholm(Calgary).
Geekie, who saw some limited time on the penalty kill his second year in Seattle, has the middle-six tools potentially to push Coyle for the No. 2 spot.
“I pride myself on being able to play whatever role is asked of me,” Geekie said. “I think I’ve got enough game sense and hockey IQ that I can make a difference up in the lineup.
“When I was in Seattle and Carolina, I was in a fourth line and I think I bring a little bit of a different flavor to that role. I’m not a big, physical guy, and I’m not going to put you through the wall. But I think I can be a solid player and play well at both ends of the rink.
“I didn’t drill myself to be one thing, trying to get to the NHL. I just try to do as much as I can and try to fit in wherever the team needs me. To me, that’s the most important thing.”
Back home at the end of a workday, he has a wife who knows the game and what it takes to compete. Emma, who was a nurse during the couple’s time in Seattle, has a knack for valid critique and analysis of her husband’s game. The best linemates don’t hold back.
“She’s definitely a harsh critic, but she’s awesome,” said Geekie. “She understands the game, knows what’s going on, obviously. But she doesn’t try to say too much.
“She knows when I’ve had a good game and a bad game, and she’s really good at kind of feeling that out and saying what needs to be said, but she’s good at leaving it at the rink, too. Everyone’s got lives away from the rink, and we try to put a big emphasis on that — just try to leave games and hockey at the rink, so we can enjoy time as a family.”
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Post by nfld77 on Sept 12, 2023 10:34:28 GMT -5
No doubt this is Geekie's chance to move up the lineup and have his most productive season so far..In saying that, he seems to be a team first type of player as he stated his emphasis on doing whatever is best for the team..I truly hope he has a great season and is a Bruin for a long time!! 23 goals 25 assists would be a pretty nice start!!!
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Post by orym on Sept 12, 2023 10:42:15 GMT -5
No doubt this is Geekie's chance to move up the lineup and have his most productive season so far..In saying that, he seems to be a team first type of player as he stated his emphasis on doing whatever is best for the team..I truly hope he has a great season and is a Bruin for a long time!! 23 goals 25 assists would be a pretty nice start!!! Good ol' Prairie Boy! I'd love to see him push for 20 goals this year but expecting more like 12-15. I hope he makes a solid impression early and maybe gets some looks with some decent linemates and maybe PP2 time!
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Post by nfld77 on Sept 12, 2023 11:49:37 GMT -5
No doubt this is Geekie's chance to move up the lineup and have his most productive season so far..In saying that, he seems to be a team first type of player as he stated his emphasis on doing whatever is best for the team..I truly hope he has a great season and is a Bruin for a long time!! 23 goals 25 assists would be a pretty nice start!!! Good ol' Prairie Boy! I'd love to see him push for 20 goals this year but expecting more like 12-15. I hope he makes a solid impression early and maybe gets some looks with some decent linemates and maybe PP2 time! Hey, a good ole prairie boy, we got one of those, haha, good folks for sure!! Ory normally I would say 12-15 goals too AND that would even be a career best, I believe his best season was 9 goals BUT that was on a bottom 6 role and no PP time..IF Sweeney dont get that top centreman and honestly I hope he dont, not this season!! That leaves an open spot on Bruins top 6 and with a decent camp I can see Geekie centering 2nd line cause I know Montgomery would LOVE to keep Coyle on 3rd line because of matchups with opposition..IF Geekie centres a line with Pastrnak on his wing, he will definitely benifit Morgan..Maybe I pushed it with 20+ goals, maybe 15 goals 30 assists would be more like it..He'll pile up the assists if he do make 2nd line but thats a slight long shot but not out of reach!!
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Post by orym on Sept 12, 2023 12:55:22 GMT -5
Good ol' Prairie Boy! I'd love to see him push for 20 goals this year but expecting more like 12-15. I hope he makes a solid impression early and maybe gets some looks with some decent linemates and maybe PP2 time! Hey, a good ole prairie boy, we got one of those, haha, good folks for sure!! Ory normally I would say 12-15 goals too AND that would even be a career best, I believe his best season was 9 goals BUT that was on a bottom 6 role and no PP time..IF Sweeney dont get that top centreman and honestly I hope he dont, not this season!! That leaves an open spot on Bruins top 6 and with a decent camp I can see Geekie centering 2nd line cause I know Montgomery would LOVE to keep Coyle on 3rd line because of matchups with opposition..IF Geekie centres a line with Pastrnak on his wing, he will definitely benifit Morgan..Maybe I pushed it with 20+ goals, maybe 15 goals 30 assists would be more like it..He'll pile up the assists if he do make 2nd line but thats a slight long shot but not out of reach!! For sure if he finds his way into the top six, he could have more of a "Zacha" type breakout year. I love the optimism brother!
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Post by fforr on Sept 12, 2023 13:41:07 GMT -5
After Pasta there’s not much else on the right side. Think he checks a lot of boxes and would look good with Marchand and Coyle/ Merkulov?
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Post by SeaBass on Sept 12, 2023 19:38:11 GMT -5
I think they need to give Merkulov a long look at 2C. I don't think Freddie is ready for that yet. He may get there though.
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Post by nfld77 on Sept 13, 2023 17:38:10 GMT -5
After Pasta there’s not much else on the right side. Think he checks a lot of boxes and would look good with Marchand and Coyle/ Merkulov? Bruins are certainly weak on Right side as you say but this years camp should be highly competitive and I honestly think Bruins will surprise alot of fans again this season..No record breakers but a playoff Berth I certainly expect and this team with size should be made for the playoffs!!
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Post by fforr on Sept 13, 2023 22:26:31 GMT -5
After Pasta there’s not much else on the right side. Think he checks a lot of boxes and would look good with Marchand and Coyle/ Merkulov? Bruins are certainly weak on Right side as you say but this years camp should be highly competitive and I honestly think Bruins will surprise alot of fans again this season..No record breakers but a playoff Berth I certainly expect and this team with size should be made for the playoffs!! Think we saw it against Florida in the playoffs. No Bergy, Krejci, an ailing Ullmark and Lindholm and they more than held their own. Some utes will probably excel at camp but it will come down to who can be sent down without waivers.
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Post by fforr on Sept 13, 2023 22:30:43 GMT -5
I think they need to give Merkulov a long look at 2C. I don't think Freddie is ready for that yet. He may get there though. Think the next challenge for Freddie is if he can lock down that 3C spot. Has a perfect opportunity staring him right in the face.
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Post by madmarx on Sept 14, 2023 8:14:56 GMT -5
I think they need to give Merkulov a long look at 2C. I don't think Freddie is ready for that yet. He may get there though. Think the next challenge for Freddie is if he can lock down that 3C spot. Has a perfect opportunity staring him right in the face. Hopefully He has been working hard on the face off circle
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Post by nfld77 on Sept 14, 2023 10:34:58 GMT -5
I think they need to give Merkulov a long look at 2C. I don't think Freddie is ready for that yet. He may get there though. Think the next challenge for Freddie is if he can lock down that 3C spot. Has a perfect opportunity staring him right in the face. Frederic said he played all positions last season and was most comfortable playing the RW..Is it possible he dont play centre at all especially if someone like Geekie thrives there?? I'm hoping it'll work out like this..Zacha-Geekie-Coyle up the middle..If Coyle is on 3rd line, at least we know we have a dominating 3rd line but someone needs to steal that 2nd line centre job..Didn't Monty mention he was hoping some kid would take over the 2nd line position, Geekie or Merkulov hopefully?? I would much rather Coyle on 3rd line unless he made a drastic change in his play!!
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Post by fforr on Sept 14, 2023 22:23:29 GMT -5
Not too far fetched to say that Coyle might actually be the top C on the team.
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Post by madmarx on Dec 13, 2023 18:38:13 GMT -5
Morgan’s brother picked for Team Canada
Team 🇨🇦 forwards for 2024 World Juniors
Owen Allard Owen Beck Macklin Celebrini Easton Cowan Nate Danielson Jordan Dumais Conor Geekie Fraser Minten Carson Rehkopf Matthew Savoie Matthew Wood Brayden Yager
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Post by nfld77 on Dec 14, 2023 13:42:25 GMT -5
Geekie certainly proved last night he DONT belong on 4th line..I really think his play will only get better as the season moves along at least thats the hope..And really cool his brother made the WJC.
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