Morgan Geekie will return to Raleigh, North Carolina, on Tuesday night when the Boston Bruins face the Carolina Hurricanes, marking a homecoming to the city where his professional hockey journey began. Originally drafted by the Hurricanes 67th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft, Geekie was 18 at the time and just starting to navigate the complexities of a career in professional hockey.
After several seasons with Carolina, Geekie’s tenure with the Hurricanes ended unexpectedly when he was left unprotected in the 2021 Seattle Kraken expansion draft. He was selected by the Kraken, joining their inaugural roster and beginning a new chapter in his career. Reflecting on that period, Geekie said it was a challenging experience that made him reassess his role as a player and adapt to the business side of professional hockey, which often views players as interchangeable parts.
Now in his fourth season with Boston, having signed as a free agent in 2023, Geekie has settled into his role as a top-six winger. Through 12 games this season, he has recorded nine points, slightly trailing his career-best pace from last season. While his goal-scoring tally stands at just one, his contributions fit within a balanced attack, with multiple Bruins forwards producing offensively.
“This isn’t something I think much about,” Geekie said regarding his goal total. “I truly do not care one bit about it.” He currently plays on a line with Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov, providing steady, dependable ice time.
Geekie’s path to this point included time in the American Hockey League and significant experience through the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season. He credits winning a championship in Charlotte as a key confidence boost early in his career, noting how that experience helped prove his ability to perform at a high level amid intense competition.
“The championship in Charlotte was probably one of the biggest things to help me out a lot,” Geekie said. Reflecting on his move to Seattle, he described it as “a fresh start for everybody” and “maybe a blessing in disguise,” acknowledging that the change was instrumental to his current standing as a professional player.
Meanwhile, veteran winger Mikey Eyssimont, who was waived to the Bruins’ AHL affiliate in Providence at the start of the season, has posted nine goals and an assist in six games. Boston coach Marco Sturm praised Eyssimont’s attitude and performance in the minors, expressing confidence that an NHL call-up could come soon.
“Unfortunately, he was the odd man out,” Sturm said of Eyssimont’s initial roster status. “But I do believe he’ll get this chance again. With one injury, he’s right back at it. I’m just happy that he didn’t just drop his head about being in the minors. No, he’s been a really good pro. I’m very happy for him.”