Arizona Coyotes take Conor Geekie with No. 11 pick in NHL Draft

The Arizona Coyotes took center Conor Geekie with the No. 11 pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

Arizona acquired the 11th selection in a trade with the San Jose Sharks in exchange for the No. 27 pick and two second-rounders (No. 34 and No. 45).

Geekie is the second of three players the Coyotes drafted Thursday night.

Conor Geekie fan club where you at? 🙋‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/ByCOMJQX7s

— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) July 8, 2022

The Coyotes used the No. 3 pick on center Logan Cooley, an 18-year-old from Pennsylvania, and the No. 29 pick on Canadian defenseman Maveric Lamoureux.

Geekie is a 6-foot-3, 196-pound forward from Manitoba, Canada.

The 18-year-old played for the Winnipeg Ice in the Western Hockey League last year when he scored 24 goals and produced 70 points in 63 games.

General manager Bill Armstrong said on the ESPN broadcast that Geekie’s size and scoring ability were enticing traits.

Geekie’s brother, Morgan, is a center playing for the Seattle Kraken.

“I like the hot weather, too, so that’s a plus,” Geekie said on ESPN.

Well that’s one way to make an entrance into the @NHL 😂 #NHLDraft | #Yotes pic.twitter.com/LbySN9uAuz

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 8, 2022

Arizona received its original second first-round pick in September 2021 in a deal that sent Christian Dvorak to the Montreal Canadiens. It received the less-favorable of Montreal and the Carolina Hurricanes’ picks, which was the latter’s choice at No. 27.

The Coyotes acquired the No. 32 pick by trading goalie Darcy Kuemper for Conor Timmins on July 28, 2021. Arizona also received a 2024 conditional third-round pick in the trade that went to the Coyotes after Colorado won the Stanley Cup Finals and Kuemper appeared in 50% of the games on that playoff run.

The Coyotes traded the No. 32 pick to the Edmonton Oilers for the No. 29 pick and defenseman Zach Kassian.

The trades add to a flurry of moves made by Armstrong since he took the job in 2020.

Five trades in July 2021 alone included draft capital that was exchanged. Three more trades had picks changing hands since the calendar flipped to 2022.

The Coyotes have five picks set for Friday after trading up to No. 11, including two second-rounders.

Related

Arizona Coyotes pick Logan Cooley 3rd overall in 2022 NHL DraftHere's where the Arizona Coyotes pick in the 2022 NHL Entry DraftDiamondbacks top pick Ryder Helfrick gets major league preview: ‘It was unreal’USHL announces 2 expansion teams coming to ArizonaNHL exploring expansion locations, Arizona not at forefrontCoyotes legend Keith Tkachuk elected to Hockey Hall of Fame after sons become teammates