Dallas Stars Former Forward Patrick Eaves’ Return is Unlikely

Though we may dream about it and pray for it to happen, the Dallas Stars possibility of bringing Patrick Eaves back next season could become a very serious mistake.

The Dallas Stars have made a number of changes over the course of the last week or so and it has undoubtedly changed the organization. There are numerous issues within the organization that have been addressed and it appears to be in the best interest of the team in the future.

The first trade Jim Nill conducted involved the Stars’ best offensive player this season, Patrick Eaves. His breakout year was one that kept fans on the edge of their seats, while simultaneously impressing the league itself.

However, despite Eaves’ ties to Dallas and love of the city and its fans, the notion that he could sign a new deal with the club this offseason is unlikely.

Eaves Isn’t Getting Any Younger

Hockey is a sport with an age limit. There are not many Jaromir Jagr‘s skating around the world playing hockey at a high level in their early to mid-40s. That is largely due to the extreme requirements that accompany a fast-paced, contact sport.

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Eaves, who is notable for his dramatic beard, is 32 years old. He signed a one-year deal with the Stars last offseason mainly for the reason that he is getting older and his injury issues have been rather constant. It is risky to put time and money into a player approaching their mid-30s because there is a level of uncertainty that simply cannot be ignored.

More than the years under his belt, though, are Eaves’ history with injuries. As a talented shot-blocking, defensive-minded forward for the Stars, Eaves often fell victim to the injuries that accompany standing in front of the puck. He had countless foot and lower-body injuries in his three year tenure with the Stars and it would be a gamble to expect any less from him in the future.

Cap and Budget Issues

If his age and injury-prone tendencies are not enough to deter the Stars from wanting to sign Eaves to a new deal, the price he will be expecting definitely should. He has had his best season to date offensively and that kind of performance in a contract year demands a hefty price tag.

The Stars were able to sign him to a one-year, one million dollar deal last summer; however, his new price could be double or triple that rather easily. Dallas has a projected cap space of just under $3.3 million, according to CapFriendly. That would make signing Eaves for any more than his current deal almost impossible.

On top of that, the Stars will likely be looking at giving Tyler Seguin a new deal this offseason. Last year they extended Jamie Benn‘s contract and it would be logical to assume that they would follow suit with the other half of their dynamic duo.

Essentially, the Stars simply cannot afford to add Eaves back into the mix on top of everything else they have to deal with. He would be too expensive and could put new contracts of bigger players at risk.

Career Season Gamble

Eaves has scored 21 goals up to this point in the season and with more than a month left before its end there is a chance that he could tally a few more on top of that.

Considering that his previous career high in that regard was in his rookie campaign back in 2005-06 with the Ottawa Senators, it is unlikely that he will reach that mark again. Of course it is entirely possible that Eaves could spend the rest of his professional hockey career improving upon the success he experienced this year, it just is not something to bet on.

Next: Dallas Stars' Trading Frenzy Could Serve as Motivation

Yes, Eaves had a great season in Dallas with the Stars. He was able to put forth a very strong offensive effort on a season in which nearly nothing went right for the team as a whole. However, his impact was not great enough to justify a new deal, especially if the Stars had to battle with another organization in free agency.

He was simply the best of the worst and when Dallas’ players return to form and have the bounce back season they all desire, signing Eaves to a new and more expensive contract would be hard to justify.