NHL Makes Final Decision on Punishment for Lightning's Conor Geekie

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Conor Geekie has been suspended by the NHL for violating a rule in the preseason game against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday.

The league blasted Geekie with a one-game ban following his actions and the altercation during the aforementioned game. The NHL's Department of Player Safety handed down the suspension on Thursday after Geekie instigated a fight, violating Rule 70.2.

The NHL rulebook, Rule 70.2 states, "Legal Line Change – A player who has entered the game while play is in progress from his own players' bench or legally from the penalty."

With that, Geekie got banned for leaving the bench solely to start an altercation.

The incident occurred during the second period of the Lightning's 2–1 overtime loss to the Panthers.

Florida prospect Josh Davies delivered a hard, open-ice hit to Lightning captain Victor Hedman, sparking retaliation from Tampa Bay’s star winger, Nikita Kucherov, who was assessed a roughing penalty.

Shortly after, Geekie entered the ice on a legal line change but immediately pursued Davies, confronting him and initiating a fight.

Geekie earned 19 penalty minutes for his role, including penalties for cross-checking, instigating, fighting and a 10-minute misconduct. As a result, the NHL suspended the young forward for one game, ruling that Geekie’s “sole objective on this play is to confront Davies,” as noted in a video explanation from the Department of Player Safety.

In his defense, Geekie explained his motivation for stepping up and defending his teammates.

“It’s one of those things; it doesn’t matter if it’s Heddy or whoever it is,” Geekie said via The Tampa Bay Times . “I think anyone gets hit like that, someone’s got to step up. And I figured that I could be that guy.

"It worked out, but anyone could do it. I’m sure a lot of guys were thinking the same thing as me."

Geekie was the No. 11 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft and he just joined the Lightning in a trade with the Utah Hockey Club at the end of June before the opening of free agency. He has yet to make his NHL regular-season debut.

Related: Canadiens' Arber Xhekaj Hit With Maximum NHL Fine for Fighting Leafs