Coyotes’ Conor Geekie looking to establish himself at Rookie Faceoff
Sep 15, 2022, 11:47 AM
Conor Geekie is drafted by the Arizona Coyotes during Round One of the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bell Centre on July 07, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Arizona Coyotes fans will be getting a glimpse at the newest members of the team during three games of the 2022 Rookie Faceoff beginning on Friday.
It means that rookie Conor Geekie will get his first action underneath a Coyotes sweater since he was taken No. 11 overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.
“I’m just coming here to prove myself and make a bookmark,” Geekie told the media following a practice skate on Wednesday.
“There’s a reason why I went where I went so I’m gonna try to be the best that I can and play how I play.”
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Geekie headlines the 2022 draft class in camp as No. 3 overall pick Logan Cooley has yet to sign with the team as he plans to spend next season playing for the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
No. 29 pick Maveric Lamoureux is dealing with a lower body injury.
Geekie is looking to win and earn his way to an opportunity with the main roster.
“I’m not that good of a loser,” Geekie said.
“There’s a lot of guys competing for spots, right? Everyone wants to be in that group that gets to go to mini camp.”
He is also looking forward to playing with 2021 first round pick Dylan Guenther, who Geekie said was his roommate for part of the summer.
For head coach Andre Tourigny, the Rookie Faceoff is a chance to continue implementing values into a young squad.
“Culture is not something that happens over night. It’s not something that happens in one year. It’s not something that happens in two years,” he said. “It’s something that takes five, seven, 10 years to really have a culture.”
After the Coyotes suffered a league-worst -106 goal differential last season, the second-year coach was quick to point out that things are a little different during rookie camp this season.
“Last year there were two things: there was a turnover of players but as well new coaches,” Tourigny said.
Tourigny is excited for a new grind this season with a core group of players returning who are more familiar with the coaching staff and the system.
“Playing in the NHL is not a sprint, it’s a marathon,” he said.
The marathon begins on Friday as the Coyotes take on the Vegas Golden Knights in San Jose.
The Coyotes finish with games against the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday and the Colorado Avalanche on Monday.
