Morgan Geekie maps out doubts, belief, and motivation that fueled a breakout year

"Last November, the Bruins winger was seemingly mired in no man's land within Jim Montgomery's forward grouping - scratched in five of Boston's first 20 games. He didn't etch his name on the scoresheet until Boston's seventh game of the 2024-25 campaign. He finally lit the lamp 12 games in. Those days spent on the outside looking in at Boston's lineup still resonate with the 27-year-old Geekie - even if those struggles stand in stark contrast to the seemingly endless barrage of pucks he's peppering into twine this month."

""It was pretty tough. I'm not gonna lie," Geekie told Boston.com Tuesday of his slow start last year. "Obviously your job's at stake, and when you're in that position at the end of a deal, and you're not playing well, a lot of things can add up." "I'm trying to do a job for my family and support my family, and I think that maybe gets overlooked a little bit, so you have the weight of that as well. ... It's definitely a big change with where I am now, but it's good. I don't think I would be where I am without those hardships.""

"Those hardships have seemingly fueled Geekie's transformation into one of the league's elite scorers in record time. Once deemed a spare cog in Boston's forward corps, the sight of Geekie rifling pucks past netminders is now as regular an occurrence as fellow Bruins sniper David Pastrnak uncorking rockets from the left circle. Since the calendar flipped to 2025, Pastrnak ranks second in the NHL in goals scored this year with 41 across 67 total games. The only player with more? Geekie - with 42."

Morgan Geekie struggled early in the 2024-25 season, being scratched in five of Boston's first 20 games and not scoring until the 12th game. Those difficulties added pressure as he was negotiating a contract and trying to support his family. The adversity helped fuel a turnaround after Jim Montgomery's exit, producing a 33-goal campaign and a rapid rise into elite scoring form. Since the start of 2025 Geekie has surged to lead the NHL in goals with 42, surpassing David Pastrnak's 41, and has become a regular finisher for the Bruins.

Read at Boston.com