This is a development the Carolina Hurricanes, who drafted Geekie in the third round in 2017, did not foresee when they did not protect him in the 2021 expansion draft. The Seattle Kraken were similarly cloudy about Geekie\u2019s future when they declined to issue him a qualifying offer two years later.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If they were being honest, not even the Bruins would have projected Geekie to become Pastrnak\u2019s goal-scoring peer when they signed him to a two-year, $4 million contract on July 1, 2023. So how did this happen?<\/p>\n
Geekie\u2019s stick and his philosophies regarding it play a part in his explosion.<\/p>\n
Making the switch<\/p>\n
Sturm has learned quickly that he can ride Geekie hard. He has given Geekie 17:53 of ice time per game in 2025-26, a career high by almost a minute and second-most among team forwards after Pastrnak.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At five-on-five, Sturm has used Geekie at No. 1 left wing and No. 3 right wing. On the power play, Geekie rotates between the strong-side flank and the off-side elbow. He has the green light to shoot from everywhere.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe quickness, the speed and the accuracy,\u201d Sturm said of Geekie\u2019s release. \u201cIt\u2019s a dangerous combination. I wish I had that. Not too many players have that.\u201d<\/p>\n
After Geekie\u2019s 33-goal explosion in 2024-25, the question was whether he could sustain his results. He had buried 22 percent of his shots in his breakout season. It was the second-highest shooting percentage among NHL forwards with 150 or more shots, trailing only Brayden Point\u2019s 22.2 percent.<\/p>\n
This season, Geekie\u2019s aim has been even truer. He is at 28.2 percent, tied for fourth-highest<\/a> among league forwards with 30 or more shots through Sunday, behind Cole Caufield (30.8), Kiefer Sherwood (30.3) and tied with Sidney Crosby.<\/p>\n His stick is doing a lot of the work.<\/p>\n Every Christmas, Craig Geekie bought Morgan, the oldest of his three boys, a new CCM. It usually lasted the year.\u00a0<\/p>\n Even after his first full NHL season, the right-shot Geekie did not consider switching from CCM until Bauer sent him samples. Geekie liked the look of the Bauer blade as much as how it worked. It has become his preferred stick.<\/p>\n \u201cThe top line of the blade looks thicker,\u201d Geekie said of the CCM Jetspeed FT3 Pro, which he last used in 2021-22 with Seattle. \u201cI feel like it just gets a bit clunky. That\u2019s kind of what I got sick of. You see somebody use the Bauer, and the top line is really thin.\u201d<\/p>\n Geekie\u2019s current Bauer model is the Vapor Flylite. He has an 87 flex. His Oates curve is a modification of the P92, known to previous generations as the Joe Sakic.<\/p>\n Geekie likes the curve\u2019s balance: thin blade, flat heel. He grew up settling the puck on his heel and letting it roll up to his toe. Now, under ideal circumstances, he wants the puck three-quarters of the way down the blade when he lets it rip. Accuracy is his priority.<\/p>\n \u201cI just find I can go left or right from there and just use my hands,\u201d Geekie said. \u201cYou see (Connor) Bedard and those guys, they shoot and they\u2019re really good at pulling it in. I just find that having it inside the stick a little more, I can push it out too. So you can still do that move. You have it inside, you can get inside the puck a little bit and shoot it the other way.\u201d<\/p>\n It helps that Geekie can also bring the heat. On Oct. 27, he whistled a 100.86 mph one-timer on net against the Ottawa Senators. It was the NHL\u2019s third-fastest shot<\/a> this season through Sunday.\u00a0<\/p>\n Geekie\u2019s one-timer has even surprised its owner. In 2023-24, the first-year Bruin took only nine slap shots. Last year, he was credited with 14. He has five so far this season.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t really have a one-timer until a year ago,\u201d Geekie said. \u201cDidn\u2019t think I did.\u201d<\/p>\n Like with his wrist shot, Geekie thinks about the placement of his one-timer as much as the speed. If he has time, he will settle the puck momentarily and aim for his spot before striking a one-timer.<\/p>\n For as precise as Geekie\u2019s shooting has been, you would think he would stick with what works. But he is always looking for more.<\/p>\n
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