Why Bruins should keep Morgan Geekie beyond NHL trade deadline originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Bruins have a tough decision to make ahead of the March 7 NHL trade deadline. Do they become sellers and part ways with a few players in an effort to acquire more draft picks and prospects for an offseason re-tool, or does it make more sense to buy at the deadline and chase a playoff spot?
The answer probably depends on where the Bruins stand in the playoff race as the trade deadline approaches.
One player the Bruins have to make a decision on over the coming months is Morgan Geekie.
He is eligible to become a restricted free agent over the summer, so the B’s do have some control over his future. For a while, it looked like Geekie might be a player worth trading instead of keeping long term. He was a healthy scratch several times early in the season and went scoreless over the first 12 games. He had only one goal through 18 games. In other words, he was really struggling. It didn’t look like Geekie was going to build on the success he enjoyed last season when he tallied career highs in goals (17) and assists (22).
Fast forward to today, and the idea of giving up on Geekie is becoming harder and harder to justify. Re-signing Geekie long-term now makes the most sense.
What changed? Geekie has found his scoring touch. And it’s not just a a small hot streak. Geekie has been very productive for a couple months now.
Geekie’s 13 goals since the beginning of December are tied for the fifth-most of any player during that span. He has tallied 21 points in 26 games over that stretch, which ranks 12th in the league.
Geekie has been particularly effective offensively over the last seven games with five goals and two assists. He has a three-game goal streak, and his two third-period goals against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday helped the B’s pick up two valuable points in the standings.
One reason for Geekie’s resurgence has been his chemistry with David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha. The Bruins have outscored opponents 6-1 with this line on the ice at 5-on-5 over the last seven games. Boston has a 5-1-1 record during this stretch.
“It’s good. It’s growing,” Geekie told reporters postgame Saturday when asked about his chemistry with Pastrnak. “We’ve played together for a while now. It’s always easier when you learn the habits of the guys you’re playing with.
“It’s fun, it’s always fun to play with guys with lots of skill. For me,…