The Carolina Hurricanes have re-signed restricted free agent forward Morgan Geekie to a one-year contract. The two-way deal will pay Geekie $750K at the NHL level and $75K at the AHL level, but does come with a $125K minor league guarantee. Hurricanes GM Don Waddell released a short statement about the young forward:
Morgan played well in his first full NHL season this year. We’re excited for him to take the next steps in his development.
Geekie, 22, played 36 games in the NHL this season, and though he received an average of fewer than ten minutes a night, still registered nine points. That follows his debut in 2019-20 when he tallied four points in just two games, which had Carolina fans extremely excited about his future down the middle of the lineup. While that excitement may have waned a bit, Geekie still represents solid depth for the team’s bottom-six next season.
Not to be forgotten at this time of year is the expansion draft, which Geekie could play an important role in. The Hurricanes, like every other team, need to expose at least two forwards that are under contract through the 2021-22 season and have played at least 27 games last season or 54 in the last two. With a new contract, Geekie now meets that threshold, giving the team some more flexibility when it comes to choosing which forwards to protect this weekend.
If left exposed, he represents. a potential target for former Carolina and current Seattle GM Ron Francis, though there could be several more attractive options left unprotected by the Hurricanes. No matter where he ends up, Geekie will have to battle for a full-time roster spot again next season and prove that he’s worth more than just a two-way deal the next time he hits restricted free agency.
Good luck in Seattle, Morgan.