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Dallas Stars Losing Cody Eakin to Vegas in Expansion Draft Makes Sense

By Allison Scott |
Feb 16, 2017; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Dallas Stars forward Cody Eakin (20) during a game between the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild defeated the Stars 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 16, 2017; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Dallas Stars forward Cody Eakin (20) during a game between the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild defeated the Stars 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Cody Eakin was chosen by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Expansion Draft Wednesday night. While the Dallas Stars will miss him a bit, it makes perfect sense considering his skill set.

The Las Vegas Golden Knights now have 30 names to add to their roster, one of them being former Dallas Stars forward Cody Eakin. While not all of them will end up actually being on the team come puck drop next fall, the newest NHL franchise is set up to be ready soon enough.

Eakin was left off of Dallas’ protected list that was released Sunday morning, but him being chosen makes perfect sense given a few notable attributes.

Offensive Versatility

While Eakin isn’t known for being immensely offensive, he has the ability to put the puck in the net. He has scored 154 points – 65G, 89A – in 379 NHL games.

Considering he played on numerous lines for the Stars during his tenure with the team, that is particularly impressive. Not to mention that he spent his opening few years in the league as a member of the Washington Capitals moving around as well.

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Eakin’s value up front is more than just scoring, though. He’s a versatile player with the unique ability to be successful throughout the line-up. He was able to center lines featuring Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn, but also Antoine Roussel and Adam Cracknell.

The ability to play alongside highly skilled players and then be just as successful alongside gritty, physical players is impressive and valuable. The Golden Knights are a team that will have to build chemistry and switch up their line combinations before something clicks. Having a guy like Eakin in the line-up makes doing so that much easier.

Defensive Responsibility

Possibly more impressive than his offensive strengths is Eakin’s role in the defensive zone. He understands his defensive responsibility as a center and excels at it, unlike a lot of offensive-focused players in the same position.

This might be the area the Stars miss most about former No. 20. Eakin and Benn were a dynamic duo for Dallas when it came to killing penalties over the last few seasons, which is incredibly important considering the tendency of the Stars to sit in the box.

Eakin’s special teams contributions, specifically on the penalty kill, made him an even stronger candidate for the Golden Knights to choose.

Next: A Few Thoughts On Stars' Home Opener vs. Vegas

Moving Forward

The loss of Eakin to the Golden Knights will not be easy for Dallas to overcome. While they may have made a mistake in not protecting him, there is still the chance that Nill has something up his sleeve. Maybe a guy like Jamie Oleksiak or Patrik Nemeth will be finding a new home in exchange for a high-quality player for the Stars.

Whatever happens in the next few weeks and months will be interesting, but the good news is Eakin will return to Dallas on opening night as a member of the Golden Knights regardless.

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