The Boston Bruins enter this offseason with a laundry list of restricted free agents. But among them, Morgan Geekie stands out atop the team’s to-do list.

Geekie had a breakout campaign this season, scoring 33 goals and 57 points in 77 games. Geekie nearly doubled his career-high of 17 goals and looked increasingly confident with every game.

As the Bruins look to run a quick retool this summer, the team will be looking to lock up Morgan Geekie for the foreseeable future. At least that’s what Boston GM hinted at during a conversation with Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald.

In particular, The Herald quoted Sweeney as stating the following regarding conversations with Geekie’s camp:

“We’ve been in constant communication with Morgan’s camp since the time the season ended. I have no issues with the timeline of our discussions. We’d like to get it done. We know that it’s going to be somewhere between a one- and an eight-year deal. How’s that?”

The cryptic reply shed light on the willingness to get a deal done even if the specifics of it aren’t abundantly clear at this point.

It’s worth pointing out that the fear of a potential offer sheet coming Morgan Geekie’s way could prompt the Bruins to get a deal done sooner rather than later. But as The Herald pointed out, Sweeney doesn’t necessarily fear the prospect of an offer sheet.

He just wants the team to lock up one of its up-and-coming stars.

Morgan Geekie hoping to avoid arbitration with the Boston Bruins

Morgan Geekie has one year left as a restricted free agent. That situation means that he and the Bruins will need to work something out for at least one more season before he’s due to become an unrestricted free agent.

That’s where things could get complicated for Geekie and the Bruins.

If the two sides cannot agree on a deal, there’s the possibility that Morgan Geekie’s contract negotiation could go to arbitration. But that’s something the Geekie would rather avoid.

According to a piece in The Athletic from April 10, Geekie was quoted as saying he would prefer to work something out with Boston instead of heading into an arbitration hearing.

Geekie stated per The Athletic:

“Nobody wants to do that. It’s a really tough situation for both parties involved. I’d love for it not to get to that point. Because obviously at that point, your negotiations are a little too far apart.”

The Bruins got into a complicated arbitration scenario with goaltender Jeremy Swayman two summers ago. When both sides tried to avoid arbitration one more time last year, the negotiations dragged on well into the beginning of training camp.

That’s something that both sides would love to sidestep this summer.

But Geekie is aware that contract negotiations are a part of life in the NHL. He stated:

“Yeah, it’s a business. Both sides have to make a decision. I have that right. I’d love not to exercise it. But sometimes it’s a business, unfortunately.”

If Geekie and the Bruins don’t let business get in the way, the chances of an amicable settlement before the start of training camp would be the most amenable outcome for all sides involved.