Background

Before a critical stretch of games against division opponents, the Lightning on Tuesday morning sent top prospect Conor Geekie to the minors.

Geekie’s Performance

Geekie, 20, made the opening night roster after he was acquired from Utah as part of the Mikhail Sergachev trade. In 49 games with the Lightning, he had six goals and six assists with a minus-3 rating while averaging 12:09 in ice time.

Geekie saw minutes as a top-six forward on the matchup line with Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli, a trio that initially worked well together.

But Geekie’s game quickly became quiet. He did not have a point in his past nine games and was minus-5 over that stretch. He has just one goal and two assists in his past 22 games, and was minus-8.

In addition, Geekie suffered an apparent arm injury late in Saturday’s game against the Islanders. He did not practice when the team returned to the ice on Monday.

Next Steps

For Tuesday’s morning line rushes, Geekie was replaced by Mikey Eyssimont at right wing on the Cirelli line. Eyssimont had been a healthy scratch the past two games.

Geekie will report to Syracuse having just two AHL games under his belt. Both came during last season’s Calder Cup playoffs with Arizona’s AHL team in Tucson.

Conclusion

The Lightning’s decision to send Conor Geekie to the minors comes at a crucial point in the season, as they prepare for important division matchups. Geekie’s performance had declined in recent games, leading to his demotion to the AHL.

FAQs

Why was Conor Geekie sent to the minors?

Geekie’s lackluster performance in recent games, coupled with an apparent arm injury, contributed to the Lightning’s decision to send him to the minors.

Will Conor Geekie have the opportunity to return to the Lightning roster?

Geekie will have the chance to prove himself in the AHL and potentially earn a call-up back to the Lightning, depending on his performance and the team’s needs.