Geekie Credits Syracuse Coach Bouchard as Lightning Camp Begins

Conor Geekie has returned to the Tampa Bay Lightning's training camp wearing No. 94, the number he used with their AHL affiliate in Syracuse. For the 22-year-old forward, the change reflects a stretch of development that he says made him more comfortable competing for an NHL role.

Geekie told The Hockey News that Crunch coach Joel Bouchard helped him through the move between Tampa Bay and Syracuse. The two have sometimes disagreed, he said, but Bouchard gave him responsibility. "He put a lot of trust in me," Geekie said.

Geekie also worked with Lightning skating coach Barb Underhill during the summer. He said the work improved his skating, while his AHL experience taught him to play with more assurance. "I play my best when I'm confident," he told The Hockey News.

Bouchard described Geekie as a player who studies the game and keeps working on its details. The coach said Geekie regularly brings questions about plays he has watched to their morning conversations.

Tampa Bay's official camp roster lists Geekie in No. 94, and its preseason schedule begins Sunday at home against the Nashville Predators. He is among the forwards competing for a spot as the Lightning use their shortened exhibition schedule to evaluate the roster.