Top 15 pick faces a major suspension for leaving the bench to start a crazy fight

There's been no shortage of drama or fire in the 2024 preseason in a number of major rivalries, as the Panthers and Lightning demonstrated on Wednesday in their Battle of Florida. Josh Davies, a winger for Florida, targeted Lightning captain Victor Hedman during the game, and Nikita Kucherov was the first to take issue with Davies' play, demonstrating his ability to get physical and defend his team when necessary.

A short while later, young forward Conor Geekie repeated the same action, but this time it might come at a price after he had taken care of Davies when they both let go of their gloves after the confrontation with the Lightning captain.

But as the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced, Geekie broke an NHL rule by leaving the bench on an illegal line change in order to start an altercation. As a result, he will serve a lengthy suspension, which has nothing to do with the fight itself.

Insider Frank Seravalli, though, makes a crucial distinction that might be helpful to Geekie: he reveals that it wasn't an automatic suspension because the line change was lawful and the purpose was to initiate a fight rather than join one that was already in progress.

Geekie will undoubtedly have gained some favor in the locker room for sticking up for his captain whether or not he is suspended, and given his strong play during the preseason, he will undoubtedly be a part of this starting lineup when his suspension expires.