Dallas Stars Need Patrick Eaves To Continue His Tradition

Sunday morning was definitely a good morning to be a Dallas Stars fan.

After a redemptive and enthralling Saturday night that ended in the Stars downing division rival the Minnesota Wild in an intense overtime battle, there are plenty of reasons to be happy.

First off, the Dallas Stars are now in a three-way tie for first place in the entire NHL with a record of 14-4-0 with 28 points. They continue to give it their all on the ice every night and are succeeding as an effect. John Klingberg is showing no signs of a sophomore slump and leads all NHL defensemen in points. Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin continue to control the tide and consistently put up points, and both are at the top of the NHL charts.

In other words, it looks like everything is working for the Dallas Stars. Whether it’s a high-powered offense, an improving defense, or a relentless two-headed monster in the crease, the Stars have plenty to rely on.

But the offense is about to undergo a bit of a change. For the first time in a while, the Stars are using all four lines to win games. Instead of simply relying on the top two lines to produce goals, each game is a tossup in regards to which line will snag a goal.

On Sunday morning, the Dallas Stars announced that the club had reassigned F Radek Faksa to the Texas Stars of the AHL. That being said, it is clear that they have a forward returning to play.

Patrick Eaves has been sidelined since October 13th when he was injured in a game against the Edmonton Oilers. He was diagnosed with a lower-body injury and placed on the IR. At Saturday’s morning skate before the game against the Wild, Eaves skated with the other injured players (Travis Moen and Curtis McKenzie) but was the only one not on the IR.

This more than likely means that Eaves will be available for the next game against Buffalo on Tuesday. He will need to hit the ground running in his current scenario. There are plenty of hot rookies around him that have proven their readiness at the NHL level that would be beneficial alternatives if Eaves struggles. But if his past proves anything, it is that he should have no trouble in getting off to a hot start.

Last season, Patrick Eaves did something that not many players could do. In a season plagued with long-term injuries, Eaves still found a way to put together a consistent season in the statistics and finished twelfth on the Stars in scoring. The only difference between he and the other players ahead of them is he played in 30 or so less games.

Eaves took on two major injuries last season, including a broken bone in his leg and a concussion after taking a puck to the face. The broken leg kept him sidelined from December 2nd – January 27th. Eaves would return to the lineup on the 27th and play consistently until February 13th when he took a friendly fire puck to the face. This injury would hold him out until March 1st.

But every time Eaves returned to the lineup, he would leave a bigger impression. Through the first part of the season up until his first injury, he tallied a total of eight points in 19 games. After his return from the first setback, he tallied five points including three goals in nine games. After jumping back into the lineup for the remainder of the year on March 1st, Eaves would finish the final 19 games with 14 points.

Overall, Patrick Eaves played 47 games in a Dallas Stars uniform in 2014-2015 and produced 14 goals and 27 points, along with a +12 plus/minus rating. Not too bad for a one year deal worth $650,000.

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“I don’t really know,” Eaves said about how he strung together such a consistent season in 2014-2015. “I just basically came to the rink everyday and had fun and it seemed to work out alright.”

Eaves abilities on the power play are stellar and he knows how to play consistent defense while balancing his tendency to charge the offensive zone and get to the front of the net. He can adapt easily to any line he is put on and understands how to quickly acclimate himself to any group of teammates on offense.

Faksa’s spot is left open and Eaves will take it over but there may be some line juggling as a result. On the bright side, there has yet to be a line combination that has not worked for head coach Lindy Ruff. Eaves proved last season that he can mold easily to any line and any duty given to him. His flexibility is one of the primary reasons the Stars re-signed him to a one-year extension this past offseason.

Next: It Was Only A Matter Of Time: Dallas Stars Are NHL's Best Team

If Patrick Eaves can continue his tradition of returning from injury with a stronger drive and pursuit, he should have no trouble contributing to keeping the Stars offense as the best in the league.