Dallas Stars Signing Patrick Eaves May Be Best Of Offseason
By Josh Clark
The Dallas Stars said goodbye to some players, re-signed some players, and added some new players this offseason. One re-signing in particular could trump all of the other additions.
If you’re a dedicated fan of the Dallas Stars, chances are you know that they are a team known for two things: their offense and their beards.
They have beards spanning from the scruffy, five-o-clock shadow look that Tyler Seguin uses to the mountain man, mammoth-like monster that Jordie Benn shows off. And then, they even have a player who just lets the beard grow without much caring or grooming. That player is Patrick Eaves.
Throughout the 2015-16 season, Eaves let the beard grow to excruciating lengths. It never looked any shorter, meaning he more than likely never cut it, and eventually had curled and folded all sorts of different ways.
This spawned a fair amount of comedic historical references across social media, especially as the season drew to an end. People were calling him a “Civil War soldier that went missing in action and ended up at a hockey game.” Others just crossed the theme of an old letter sent home by a soldier with the hockey game Eaves was playing in at the time.
Bottom line: Eaves has an outrageous beard and everyone likes to poke a little fun with it every once in a while.
And now they will be able to enjoy the comedic relief once again, at least for another season. On July 1, the Dallas Stars re-signed Patrick Eaves to a one-year deal worth $1 million. The forward will return to Dallas for a third straight season, and has a lot of momentum to ride on. In fact, he might just be the Stars’ best re-signing of the offseason.
Now, of course, I am talking solely about signing players that were not under contract. The Jamie Benn extension trumps all, so I’m focusing instead on the free agent signings and re-signings.
That’s where Eaves could come out on top. The Dallas Stars started the offseason with 11 free agents in their system (eight UFA, three RFA). By July 5th, they had either re-signed or at least qualified all three RFAs. But the UFAs are a different story altogether. The Stars, once presumed to sign at least four of their free agents, ended up re-signing only two: Eaves and Jordie Benn.
This gave Dallas fans a bit of a scare. Amongst the four forwards, it seemed like Eaves would be third most likely to get a new deal. On the blue line, Benn seemed like the last choice against Alex Goligoski, Jason Demers, and Kris Russell. But after some contemplating and deep thought, it’s clear that GM Jim Nill made a wise decision in bringing them both back.
But how could Eaves stand up against Benn, Dan Hamhuis, Brett Ritchie, Valeri Nichushkin, and Jamie Oleksiak?
Here’s how. Eaves is a very flexible forward. He can play on any of the four lines and can produce on either wing. He has proven that he can play on the special teams units for the Stars. The 32-year-old is always determined to get in front of the net and take away the goalie’s sight all while trying to get a deflection.
Meanwhile, Benn and Oleksiak will have to battle for their starting spots more than anyone else. The Dallas Stars will probably carry eight defensemen this year, meaning that two will sit out each game. If the Stars find a group that works and either Benn or Oleksiak isn’t a part of it, that could spell trouble.
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Meanwhile, Ritchie and Nichushkin are still coming into their own in the league. The two young forwards are still trying to fill their own shoes and grab at potential, and it’s going to take time. Not to say that they aren’t effective and important forwards to Dallas, but they still have some learning to do.
Dan Hamhuis could have a major impact on the Stars’ defense this season, and could even help lead them to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But right out of the gate, don’t expect him to complete an overhaul. He spent six years with the Vancouver Canucks, so learning a new system isn’t going to be a walk in the park. He’ll need a few games to adjust.
Eaves’ biggest problem, as everyone knows, is injuries. Over the past two seasons with Dallas, Eaves has endured three longterm injuries that have sidelined him for anywhere between two and seven weeks. Not to mention some minor injuries here and there. That’s a hefty chunk of the season.
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If Eaves can avoid the injury bug, there is no telling how productive he could become for the Stars. He can score, run an offensive push, play with just about anyone, work the power play, and be a determined leader in the locker room and on the ice. That’s a lot for $1 million.
Patrick Eaves might have an amazing beard, but he could add onto it with an amazing performance this season. Just 44 days until things start rolling again.