The Boston Bruins are getting ready to hit the road for a two-game road trip which starts against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.
Currently, the Bruins and the defending champions are the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. The Hurricanes hold the No. 1 spot with 20 points and the Bruins are slightly below with 19.
Boston forward Morgan Geekie talked about the matchup after practice on Monday.
"I think we kind of understand how they're going to play going in there," said Geekie. "I think it's always a battle going into that rink especially. And I mean, they're the defending champs for a reason. So, we know we're going to have our hands full, but I think we've been playing great hockey and a lot of the issues that seemed to plague us at the start of last year, we kind of figured out. So, everyone's kind of buying in and we'll just try to build off that especially last two at home."
Geekie, who is in his fourth season with the Bruins, was a third-round draft pick for the Hurricanes in 2017 and played 38 games with Carolina between 2020-2021 before being selected by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft.
The 28-year-old spoke on his return to Carolina and playing against his former team.
"I mean, it's tough not to [relish it]," said Geekie. "I think when you first kind of move on, I think it's a lot more prominent than it is maybe now, but it's still always that extra fire. And they got a great team, great organization obviously. And I honestly don't know a ton of guys still there, but I have nothing but good things to say about Carolina and it was a good time in the career, but definitely excited to be where I am now, for sure."
Geekie also reflected on being chosen in the expansion and having to leave the Hurricanes for the Kraken.
"Yeah, I won a championship in Charlotte [AHL] and that was probably one of the biggest things in my career that seemed to help me out a lot confidence-wise, just kind of proving that you can play at a high level," said Geekie. "And then the next year, we had a good season too before COVID hit. But, yeah, you're right. You kind of go through all those grindy camps with a lot of those guys the same age, and a lot of guys are trying to make the jump. And it seemed with that team that won, there was, I think, only one or two guys that ended up playing games for Carolina after that. So, we all seem to go our different ways.
"But yeah, I think it's always tough, especially at a young age," said Geekie. "You start to question things a little bit, especially with the type of player you are and when you're not established, it's a lot tougher to get your feet under you. But at the same time, again, it's a fresh start for everybody. And I think going to Seattle, for everybody involved, was maybe a blessing in disguise for a lot of guys. So, it was one of those things that I don't think I'd be where I am without it. But it was lots of fun."
The Bruins take on the Hurricanes at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nhl/bruins/onsi as Bruins Forward Morgan Geekie Speaks On Time in Carolina Ahead of Matchup With Hurricanes .
