Earlier than final summer time, Morgan Geekie would pack up his automobile in Alberta in the summertime and make the lengthy trek to Boston for the brand new season.
However then he signed a six-year, $33 million contract final June and issues modified a bit bit. In the beginning of camp, he was requested if he made the lengthy drive once more.
“Oh, hell no,” he stated with fun, including later, “Now that I’ve flown, I’ll by no means drive once more. I’ll drive again. I don’t thoughts driving residence with my canine however driving here’s a factor of the previous now.”
Such are the benefits of monetary safety.
And whether or not or not it was skipping the drive that has helped him, Geekie – who had been a gradual starter in his first two years with the B’s – had a powerful coaching camp, scoring a few targets. And, within the season-opener, he notched a few factors with a secondary help on David Pastrnak after which sealed the sport with an empty netter.
On the eve of the season opener, Geekie was requested how a lot having the contract in his again pocket helped his mind set heading into camp.
“A ton,” stated the 27-year-old Geekie. “I believe as somebody who’s been a pair locations (Carolina and Seattle) already and by no means actually had the luxurious of enjoying someplace for greater than two years, simply figuring out I’ve the flexibility to be right here for six extra years is one thing that you could’t take without any consideration and one thing you may’t take into consideration till you could have a contract. It’s simply a type of issues the place I’m capable of neglect about the whole lot else and simply go and play. You’ve received your contract, you already know you could have a job for six extra years. It’s good. It units me and my household as much as calm down right here and lay some roots. We’re excited.”
Final season, Geekie obliterated his earlier career-high in targets (17) by exploding for 33. Given the truth that most of his targets have been scored after Thanksgiving (he endured 4 wholesome scratches within the opening weeks of the season), it’s not a stretch to assume he cannot solely match that complete however exceed it. His manufacturing was kick-started when he was placed on a line with Pastrnak, first with Pavel Zacha on the heart after which with Elias Lindholm. Within the 3-1 season-opening win in Washington on Wednesday, the Geekie-Lindholm-Pastrnak line accounted for all three targets.
Supplied the B’s scoring depth permits the road to remain collectively, the cash bestowed on Geekie must be properly spent.
“If I simply resolve to begin in October as a substitute of December it would assist,” stated Geekie with a smile. “From December on final 12 months, I believe I performed properly and our line a minimum of performed properly. Even in November. I believe it was towards St. Louis the place we gained, 3-2. That was my first recreation again from being scratched (and the evening he scored his first purpose of the season). I don’t know what it actually was. For me, I hadn’t actually performed properly to that time. To come back in and do this, I don’t know what clicked for me, however you see the sport a bit bit otherwise, too, whenever you’re in that place. And I believe from December on I began to see the sport in numerous methods and tried to determine other ways to supply. And clearly it helped enjoying with Dave and Lindy and Pav. It’s a type of issues the place you begin to assume the sport that means, issues possibly come a bit bit simpler, like the way to get again to your recreation whenever you lose it and issues like that. Simply looking for methods to have an effect on the sport, even should you’re not getting on the scoresheet.”
Pasta a frontrunner
There’s little doubt that Pastrnak is the Bruins’ Most worthy skater, particularly with this crew being challenged to get scoring from any line however his.
However coach Marco Sturm has been impressed by his management.
“Pay attention, all these superstars are very aggressive, however he may also get a bit feisty, too,” stated Sturm. “He confirmed it even in apply. He was all out the final couple of weeks. He was not shy of hitting guys in apply, too. That exhibits me he’s a frontrunner. He desires to indicate it on the ice, not simply in video games but additionally in apply, too.”
Unfastened pucks
One of many issues that Sturm wished to enhance is the B’s shot quantity, however that had not come to fruition but, not within the preseason nor within the season opener in Washington, once they have been outshot 36-22.
“You guys have been round final 12 months. That was one of many considerations,” stated Sturm earlier than Thursday’s residence opener. “We need to have extra pictures and we’ve been engaged on this the final couple of weeks. It’s nonetheless a piece in progress however we undoubtedly want extra pucks and extra guys across the paint.”
Even within the 4-3 extra time win over Chicago by which the B’s outshot the Hawks 33-24, Sturm wished to see extra.
“We didn’t begin properly. They drove me loopy within the first 10 minutes. Unhealthy habits once more, didn’t need to shoot. They simply wished to go it,” stated Sturm. “Once more, we’re going to proceed to work on it. I’m a giant believer in the way in which we’re constructed, possibly not the primary line however all the opposite traces, we must be a really direct crew. We must be arduous to play towards, not simply within the D zone however within the offensive paint. We simply have to search out extra methods to get there. In the event you take a look at (Tanner) Jeannot’s purpose, there’s undoubtedly nothing fairly, however they received the job executed.”…
Beginning the season with a back-to-back is pretty uncommon, however it’s a perform of the condensed schedule with the league happening hiatus for the Olympics in February. Sturm feels it’s going to be taxing mentally as a lot as bodily.
“It’s going to occur loads. In the event you look across the league and also you take a look at our schedule, it’s going to occur loads. A lot of back-to-back video games a lot of journey, with out apply,” stated Sturm.
“It’s going to be up between the ears loads, and that’s going to be a problem shifting ahead. Guys can be drained for lots of causes and that’s why it’s so necessary for them to be sharp, immediately.”…
The B’s killed off all three Chicago energy performs as they begin the season 8-for-8 on the penalty kill.
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