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Prospect Info: 2022 Draft: #11 - Conor Geekie, C

RABBIT said:


Watch this clip. I started it at the 2 minute mark, you only need to watch for about a minute or so to see his skating is not that bad, just needs to learn the first quick steps/explosiveness

I said it when we drafted him. If he pans out, I expect a less defensive, more offensive and equally physical version of a healthy Martin Hanzal.
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just needs to "learn explosiveness". You dont learn that. You can build on what you have but it's tough to overcome skating. And that's not his only problem in that area. His edge work is suspect.
He's the type of junior player that makes me the most nervous. A big kid who bowled over all the skinny kids in junior.
Of course there's those that pull out the Robitaille's of yesteryear. Even Dino Ciccarelli. But the game was so much slower back then..
In today's game you have some slower guys but they have elite hands and other attributes like Mark Stone. Still he's so RARE.
If you're slower you better have great hockey sense (I.Q.)

Bonsai Tree said:
Not if you're willing to really work with a skating coach. They can make meaningful improvements. For a power forward or big center agility to me is much more important than top end speed. I don't expect Geekie to be leading the rush. His game is size and strength. One can teach skating but one cannot teach size.
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See Jesperi Kotkaniemi formerly of MOntreal. Never really improved his skating cause his starting point was so bad.
So yea the answer is always "skating coach" but at this level it can only improve so much.
 
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SirLancelot said:
just needs to "learn explosiveness". You dont learn that. You can build on what you have but it's tough to overcome skating. And that's not his only problem in that area. His edge work is suspect.
He's the type of junior player that makes me the most nervous. A big kid who bowled over all the skinny kids in junior.
Of course there's those that pull out the Robitaille's of yesteryear. Even Dino Ciccarelli. But the game was so much slower back then..
In today's game you have some slower guys but they have elite hands and other attributes like Mark Stone. Still he's so RARE.
If you're slower you better have great hockey sense (I.Q.)


See Jesperi Kotkaniemi formerly of MOntreal. Never really improved his skating cause his starting point was so bad.
So yea the answer is always "skating coach" but at this level it can only improve so much.
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I respectfully disagree with the bolded. Track athletes learn to train themselves on the importance of their first two steps all the time. Explosiveness can be learned/honed by improved leg/core strength and mind to muscle training with focus on foot placement. Power skating coaches (likely) focus on this.
 
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RABBIT said:
I respectfully disagree with the bolded. Track athletes learn to train themselves on the importance of their first two steps all the time. Explosiveness can be learned/honed by improved leg/core strength and mind to muscle training with focus on foot placement. Power skating coaches (likely) focus on this.
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Agree. Same applies to lineman in football. Big, strong, and even fast are not enough. It's about explosiveness off the snap and footwork, which can be developed. Watch the movie "Greater" for Hollywood's depiction of a true story.
 
RABBIT said:
I respectfully disagree with the bolded. Track athletes learn to train themselves on the importance of their first two steps all the time. Explosiveness can be learned/honed by improved leg/core strength and mind to muscle training with focus on foot placement. Power skating coaches (likely) focus on this.
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True, but if you are a turtle you will turn into a fast turtle. No matter what power skating coach coached Strome and the like, they can only do so much.
 
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No offense, but Geekie actually seems like an athlete, who looks fast running around the bases playing baseball. I'm sure there wasn't anything Strome was fast at.

Geekie looks like he could be fast...with the right training.
 
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SirLancelot said:
just needs to "learn explosiveness". You dont learn that. You can build on what you have but it's tough to overcome skating. And that's not his only problem in that area. His edge work is suspect.
He's the type of junior player that makes me the most nervous. A big kid who bowled over all the skinny kids in junior.
Of course there's those that pull out the Robitaille's of yesteryear. Even Dino Ciccarelli. But the game was so much slower back then..
In today's game you have some slower guys but they have elite hands and other attributes like Mark Stone. Still he's so RARE.
If you're slower you better have great hockey sense (I.Q.)


See Jesperi Kotkaniemi formerly of MOntreal. Never really improved his skating cause his starting point was so bad.
So yea the answer is always "skating coach" but at this level it can only improve so much.
Click to expand...
I watched a lot of Geekie in WHL games this season. He’s a fantastic skater for his size when he feels like it.
 
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rt said:
I watched a lot of Geekie in WHL games this season. He’s a fantastic skater for his size when he feels like it.
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I concur. I also thought it noticeably improved throughout the season.
 
RABBIT said:
I respectfully disagree with the bolded. Track athletes learn to train themselves on the importance of their first two steps all the time. Explosiveness can be learned/honed by improved leg/core strength and mind to muscle training with focus on foot placement. Power skating coaches (likely) focus on this.
Click to expand...
He's an elite prospect. He's been getting coaching an an elite level. If he hasnt already worked on a clear weakness then it would show he's getting bad advice or just doesnt care. (I severely doubt both scenario's)
I've seen this argument so many times, and it just doesnt work like that.
Like Jakey says, he's a slow turtle, pro teaching will get him to the faster turtle level.
That being said it doesnt mean he cant make it. You need bigger power type players in this game. It's gotten IMO to much of an emphasis on speed and given room for really small guys to flourish. It will continue to be like this but there's always room for a bigger stronger guy. Just look at the Stanley cup final and the playoffs in general , you have to have guys that are big and strong.

rt said:
I watched a lot of Geekie in WHL games this season. He’s a fantastic skater for his size when he feels like it.
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I dont believe a word of that. Being a fantastic skater is not mental.
 
Jakey53 said:
True, but if you are a turtle you will turn into a fast turtle. No matter what power skating coach coached Strome and the like, they can only do so much.
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Strome is a great example like KK. When you're that bad you cant be coached up.
But unlike those guys this kid has the physical attributes that every team needs. We need big strong grinders with skills. It will be interesting watching him. It's going to take him YEARS to make an impact if he ever does. These bigger guys with skating issues are a slow burn in development.
 
Still not as sold on Geekie as some. RT and hbk, do you have a recommended highlight or certain games I should watch? He looks like a goodish or above average prospect. Do you guys think he could be 2nd line or third line grinder?

Really like his personality and interviews.
 
ducky said:
YUP.

It is a big gamble to have drafted Geekie. Very Strome 2.0.

Trusting the amazing scouting staff though. :crossfing
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Some days I wish we went with the safer pick, other days I'm thrilled we made this pick.

If we didn't have a top 3 pick and this was our only selection I would have been very disappointed. If we moved Chychrun for a top 12 pick and selected Geekie with it I would have been pretty disappointed. But the fact that we consolidated our stockpile of picks to draft a kid with a tremendous ceiling (even the floor is outright bust) will let me be patient with the selection, and not too upset if he doesn't reach his ceiling.

As long as he is a regular NHL'er I feel he will always hold value around the league. I also think he has a better shot at becoming a solid 3C than an outright bust. I think he has a better shot at becoming a solid 2C than a true 1C. I don't think we will know if he is on a 2C or 3C trajectory until he plays some NHL games. We should know if he is an outright bust if he can't produce in the AHL (like Ryan McInnis for example).

TLDR
Turns into outright bust/Ryan McInnis 2.0 = 10%
Turns into at least a solid 3C = 45%
Turns into at least a solid 2C = 35%
Turns into a solid 1C/Sean Couturier 2.0 = 10%
 
JasonDemersWasOkay said:
The good thing is depending on how the 23 draft goes we likely will only need him to reach being a good 3C

Bedard/Fantill
Cooley
Geekie
Mcbain
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True, but man if he can be more in that 2C/1C range and we manage to get Fantilli we could potentially turn him into a young top end defenseman and keep Hayton as the 3C hahaha.
 
Since we drafted Cooley and we'll draft another C early in '23, I was hoping for Miroshnichenko. A big power forward sniper would have been a nice addition to the forward core. Otherwise Mateychuk if we wanted a safe d-man in that 10-15 range. I trust our scouts made the right call with Geekie.
 
Jagged Ice said:
Since we drafted Cooley and we'll draft another C early in '23, I was hoping for Miroshnichenko. A big power forward sniper would have been a nice addition to the forward core. Otherwise Mateychuk if we wanted a safe d-man in that 10-15 range. I trust our scouts made the right call with Geekie.
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I do like the fact that we added size with Geekie in case we are lucky enough to draft Bedard (we will) or if Benson really becomes a riser and is BPA. Also helps mitigate Cooley and Keller's size a bit.
 
Mangosteen said:
Still not as sold on Geekie as some. RT and hbk, do you have a recommended highlight or certain games I should watch? He looks like a goodish or above average prospect. Do you guys think he could be 2nd line or third line grinder?

Really like his personality and interviews.
Click to expand...
I think CHLTV still has the playoffs available to watch for WHL. Moose Jaw series worth the time because u can also watch Bensen and Yaeger.
 
Mangosteen said:
Still not as sold on Geekie as some. RT and hbk, do you have a recommended highlight or certain games I should watch? He looks like a goodish or above average prospect. Do you guys think he could be 2nd line or third line grinder?

Really like his personality and interviews.
Click to expand...
I don’t remember specific games, sorry. Some games he looked like prime Eric Lindros. Other games he looked like Dylan Strome on Xanax. It’s not like there was a steady progression or he fell off a cliff. It was random. Just no consistency of any kind.

He was my 11th ranked player in the draft and the only guy we passed on that I had higher was Mateychuk. Who I had all of one spot higher. And who I only put ahead of Geekie very near the draft.
 
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