Strathclair, Manitoba's Morgan Geekie has agreed to terms on a brand new deal with the Carolina Hurricanes for the 2021-22 season.
The contract is of the two-way variety and features a $750K cap hit if the upcoming year is spent with the 'Canes, or $75K if he plays the year in the American Hockey League. Through his negotiations, the 22-year-old was sure to include a guaranteed $125K no matter where he plays. And rightly so, as the young Manitoban has been a true firecracker for Carolina since breaking into the league in March of 2020.
"There has been a lot going on this summer with the Expansion Draft, and the Canes had a lot of big-name guys out there, but it was really nice to get this done," Geekie told Game On. "Carolina has been good to me, and despite it being a little bit of an unorthodox past two seasons, it's been a really good experience. It's all about going out there and doing your best to help the team and just trying to keep getting better every day."
However, in signing Geekie, Carolina knows that the young forward is now eligible to be selected by the incoming Seattle Kraken at the Expansion Draft set for this coming Wednesday evening. Should the team stick with protecting forwards Jordan Staal, Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravaien, Andrei Svechnikov, Vincent Trocheck and Nino Niederreiter, Geekie could be a name that draws the interest of Kraken GM Ron Francis.
"It’s tough to kind of gauge what’s going on," Geekie said of Wednesday's Expansion Draft. "There’s a lot under wraps and the league does a good job of not really letting much out. But at the end of the day, it’s an extra 25-odd jobs for guys in the league, so any time you can add some more jobs, it’s more opportunity for everybody. However that ends up helping you out, it’s always for the better."
Selected 67th in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Geekie put up three points in his NHL debut, and followed that up with another goal for four points in just two games of the 2019-20 season. He put up 22 goals and 42 points in the AHL for the Charlotte Checkers that year, before sticking with Carolina for the majority of the 2020-21 shortened season.
Geekie scored three goals and put up six assists for nine points to go alongside 10 penalty minutes in 36 contests with Carolina this past year. And for good measure, he also put up four goals and five points during a two-game stint with the Chicago Wolves during a short period of time in the 'A'.
"Morgan played well in his first full NHL season this year," Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said in a team-issued press release on Friday. "We're excited for him to take the next steps in his development."
Prior to being drafted to Carolina, Geekie made a name for himself as a member of the AAA U-15 and U-18 Yellowhead Chiefs, before going on to suit up for the Western Hockey League's Tri-City Americans for three full seasons, to which he accrued 95 goals and 227 points in 224 total games from 2015-18.
Geekie scored three goals and put up six assists for nine points to go alongside 10 penalty minutes in 36 contests with Carolina this past year. And for good measure, he also put up four goals and five points during a two-game stint with the Chicago Wolves during a short period of time in the 'A'.
"Morgan played well in his first full NHL season this year," Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said in a team-issued press release on Friday. "We're excited for him to take the next steps in his development."
Prior to being drafted to Carolina, Geekie made a name for himself as a member of the AAA U-15 and U-18 Yellowhead Chiefs, before going on to suit up for the Western Hockey League's Tri-City Americans for three full seasons, to which he accrued 95 goals and 227 points in 224 total games from 2015-18.
Comments