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Upon being called up by the Carolina Hurricanes late this season, Morgan Geekie made an immediate impact.
Despite playing just under 24 minutes in his two NHL games combined, Geekie scored three goals and four points. He looked very comfortable battling for space at the front of the net and didn't shy away from retrieving the puck along the boards. In the limited sample size, he also had a very strong corsi for percentage, at 58.6 per cent.
Of course, two games isn't much to judge someone on, but you can also look at Geekie's numbers in the minors. Prior to being called up, he had increased his production in his second AHL season with Charlotte, scoring 22 goals and 42 points in 55 games. He’ll be turning 22 years old this summer and could be ready to play with the Hurricanes full-time next season.
Of course, this would mean that if Justin Williams returns, either Jordan Martinook or Brock McGinn would be forced out of the lineup. However, considering both players only have a year remaining on their contract and aren't likely to be part of Carolina's roster long-term, it should be a move the Hurricanes are willing to make.
Geekie is old enough that it makes sense to see how he can adjust to the NHL but also young enough that, if he’s effective, he could be with the Hurricanes for a long time. With a spot open at center and a prospect who’s ready to make the jump, it seems like the perfect opportunity for Carolina.
Here's today's poll question (results and discussion will be posted next weekend):
OTHER HURRICANES ARTICLES FROM MAY How does Martin Necas compare against other forwards from the 2017 draft? Reviewing this week's polls (May 2): Hurricanes Edition