Player Discussion Cody Eakin

[ChrisWinsor]

Surprised that I cant find a recent thread regarding Eakin.

He's now on the top line with Spezza and Benn. Will this last? Valeri is out 4 months, they want to keep Spezza on the second line.

He has 2g3a in 3 games he's played top line.

What do you guys think?

 

[aloonda*]

Surprised that I cant find a recent thread regarding Eakin.

He's now on the top line with Spezza and Benn. Will this last? Valeri is out 4 months, they want to keep Spezza on the second line.

He has 2g3a in 3 games he's played top line.

What do you guys think?

he's a good dang player

glad to have him on this team

 

[Elysian]

Clearly not a second line center

 

[Dr Pepper]

Still probably not the deal the Caps regret MOST this season.....but it's up there.

 

[nablock]

At least they got a good player for Eakin. Erat was an ill advised trainwreck of a move.

 

[RastaRockett]

Just a reliable player. He does everything good but not great. I always forget he is only 23 years old.

 

[David Castillo]

I've always felt like Eakin was underappreciated. He's not ideal as a so called "shutdown center", but he's got enough offensive gifts to offset his positional flatulence.

I think people just assume Eakin's just holding Faksa's spot, except Faksa needs a lot to prove. Sometimes I wonder if Shore is more suited to 3C, Faksa for 4C.

Anyway, I keep thinking that Eakin at wing is a better experiment than Seguin at wing.

 

[BigG44]

Anyway, I keep thinking that Eakin at wing is a better experiment than Seguin at wing.

Ruff already explained that. He wanted someone he could trust against any line with those two, and he felt it would help Seguin not having to worry about going down low.

That was before last game, and then Seguin scored that breakaway goal. Afterwards, he specifically mentioned not having to worry about coverage down low permitted him to cheat a bit on that to make that play.

The question for me become no are we wasting Seguin as a center, but is maybe he better as winger ... similar to how much the transition helped Benn. I'm not advocating they make the decision lightly, but you have the assets to make it work even long term. Dickinson especially comes to mind as a potentially better two-way, defensively responsible option that could fit between those two. He could give Eakin a run for his money down the line.

The Super Line doesn't make sense long term, and Seguin not playing center only makes sense if long term your're starting to feel like he's better suited at wing. You're wasting time not letting him make the mistakes and grow right now.

It's not entirely crazy though with Eakin in the mix now, and Dickinson, Shore, and maybe even a guy like Pollock as options to compliment the top line.

 

[BigG44]

I think people just assume Eakin's just holding Faksa's spot, except Faksa needs a lot to prove. Sometimes I wonder if Shore is more suited to 3C, Faksa for 4C.

Realized this was actually worth exploring.

3C in one system means an entirely different thing in another system, and with a guy like Ruff as coach it could even change year to year. If you're going with the most basic definition of 3C being a checking, shutdown center then no there's really no one better than Faksa, including Eakin, who fits 3C. The way Ruff used Eakin last year and most of this year, long term Faksa fits that role better if he develops properly.

Shore would fit 3C potentially better on a team with 3 offensive lines. He's a good defensive center. Most NCAA guys do have a strong two-way game, but he's also got some Ribeiro in him ... I.E. slow the game down and pick people apart. Long term that might not exactly mesh with this team.

Honestly, Eakin's currently former line with Roussel and Garbutt are more of a traditional energy line than a shutdown line. In the future, minus Garbutt and add in a more offensive RW, that could be a third scoring/energy line. You could go more traditional checking line with Faksa on the 4th.

Probably not the start of 2015, but maybe 2016 if Seguin ultimately proves to be better at wing ...

Benn-Dickinson-Seguin
Nichushkin-Spezza-Hemsky
Roussel-Eakin-Ritchie
McKenzie-Faksa-Garbutt

 

[brinkmanjs]

I think it is a great move to put each of the Pitbulls on a line with skill players. Everybody feeds off of their intensity and maybe focuses a little more on offensive game. At least that's what I'm seeing out there over the last few games. By the looks of today's lines that is the plan at least short term. Also think too much tinkering of lines doesn't allow players to develop chemistry, but I could be wrong.

 

[BigG44]

I think it is a great move to put each of the Pitbulls on a line with skill players. Everybody feeds off of their intensity and maybe focuses a little more on offensive game. At least that's what I'm seeing out there over the last few games. By the looks of today's lines that is the plan at least short term. Also think too much tinkering of lines doesn't allow players to develop chemistry, but I could be wrong.

If Ruff holds true to his word .. and he did this last year for stretches ... he's done tinkering. With the exception of bringing Garbutt back into the mix because he's healthy, he said he's mostly done with rotating players in and out.

That should level out the line mixing for the most part.

Fids is pretty much an extension of that line so they'll likely have one on each line since Garbutt should replace McKenzie with Cole and Horcoff.

 

[brinkmanjs]

Seems to be a winning formula for now at least and Eakin has been great between our superStars Might not have positive effect on Seguin long term, but obviously he will get his points no matter where he is playing. Probably same for Ja Benn.

 

[beepeearr]

Benn-Dickinson-Seguin
Nichushkin-Spezza-Hemsky
Roussel-Eakin-Ritchie
McKenzie-Faksa-Garbutt

Seen I hoping by the end of next year we something like this

Benn Seguin Nichushkin
Roussel/Eakin Spezza Hemsky
Eakin/Roussel Faksa Ritchie
McKenzie Fiddler Garbutt

I think that would give a little bit of speed and size to every line

 

[dechire]

Seen I hoping by the end of next year we something like this

Benn Seguin Nichushkin
Roussel/Eakin Spezza Hemsky
Eakin/Roussel Faksa Ritchie
McKenzie Fiddler Garbutt

I think that would give a little bit of speed and size to every line

I would be pretty happy with this lineup. I'd like to keep Eaves for the bench but if they kept Moen up instead and sent Sceviour down I'd be fine with that too.

 

[ChrisWinsor]

So do you guys think that Eakin is there to stay on the top line for the forseeable future?

 

[modano]

As long as they do not lose a game at least

 

[David Castillo]

Ruff already explained that. He wanted someone he could trust against any line with those two, and he felt it would help Seguin not having to worry about going down low.

That was before last game, and then Seguin scored that breakaway goal. Afterwards, he specifically mentioned not having to worry about coverage down low permitted him to cheat a bit on that to make that play.

The question for me become no are we wasting Seguin as a center, but is maybe he better as winger ... similar to how much the transition helped Benn. I'm not advocating they make the decision lightly, but you have the assets to make it work even long term. Dickinson especially comes to mind as a potentially better two-way, defensively responsible option that could fit between those two. He could give Eakin a run for his money down the line.

The Super Line doesn't make sense long term, and Seguin not playing center only makes sense if long term your're starting to feel like he's better suited at wing. You're wasting time not letting him make the mistakes and grow right now.

It's not entirely crazy though with Eakin in the mix now, and Dickinson, Shore, and maybe even a guy like Pollock as options to compliment the top line.

Realized this was actually worth exploring.

3C in one system means an entirely different thing in another system, and with a guy like Ruff as coach it could even change year to year. If you're going with the most basic definition of 3C being a checking, shutdown center then no there's really no one better than Faksa, including Eakin, who fits 3C. The way Ruff used Eakin last year and most of this year, long term Faksa fits that role better if he develops properly.

Shore would fit 3C potentially better on a team with 3 offensive lines. He's a good defensive center. Most NCAA guys do have a strong two-way game, but he's also got some Ribeiro in him ... I.E. slow the game down and pick people apart. Long term that might not exactly mesh with this team.

Honestly, Eakin's currently former line with Roussel and Garbutt are more of a traditional energy line than a shutdown line. In the future, minus Garbutt and add in a more offensive RW, that could be a third scoring/energy line. You could go more traditional checking line with Faksa on the 4th.

Probably not the start of 2015, but maybe 2016 if Seguin ultimately proves to be better at wing ...

Benn-Dickinson-Seguin
Nichushkin-Spezza-Hemsky
Roussel-Eakin-Ritchie
McKenzie-Faksa-Garbutt

This just reeks of mismanagement. Seguin is your franchise center. So why not play him at center? He had a career year playing center, and I've always felt was an underrated 2 way player: good in the middle of the ice, and much better at being positionally aware than Eakin.

I don't think Seguin is better at wing, but who knows. I'd prefer to see whether or not Eakin can develop into that "shutdown type" (who only just recently grew into that role) since I'd prefer to have a shutdown center with higher offensive upside yet lower defensive awareness versus a shutdown center with higher defensive awareness, yet lower offensive upside (like Faksa...his two points this season is worrying). I'd much prefer:

Benn-Seguin-Hemsky
Roussel-Spezza-Nichushkin
Dickinson-Eakin-Ritchie
McKenzie-Faksa-Garbutt

Dickinson and Ritchie wouldn't be overwhelmed, and Eakin has just enough polish to help the line finish and set up opportunities, while I think Nuke will really compliment Spezza's style.

 

[BigG44]

Seguin's having another career year where he's played wing much of the season. Not saying you have to like it. I already said with the Super Line I wasn't a fan, but this is what Ruff has recently shown to be a real possibility.

Just pointing out long term it's not entirely unreasonable that if Ruff sticks around he could remain on wing. They have the assets to make that happen.

Labeling it as mismanagement seems beyond extreme though ... like he's somehow going to damage the player. Regardless of his position, Benn and Seguin are franchise players. That doesn't change if he's ultimately at RW with a guy like Dickinson or eventually a full time center. Just have to see how it plays out. This feels more like something to complain about for the sake of being upset more than a real problem which is having a negative impact on the team.

It's for sure significantly less of an issue than playing Spezza with the two, and allowing your best offensive player to focus more on offense isn't the end of the world. If this was Hicks' 2.0 trying to coach the offense out of Modano (which worked for that era of hockey), I'd be much more concerned. Considering Eakin's two-way ability and Dickinson's higher two-way potential ... plus the other center prospects you have like Shore and Pollock ... someone is going to be playing the wing unless trades are made ... which means someone is going to get a better offensive assignment.

I'm far from sold on the idea, but it's hardly the potential for a disaster.

 

[Rune Forumwalker]

If this was Hicks' 2.0 trying to coach the offense out of Modano (which worked for that era of hockey), I'd be much more concerned.

Freudian slip?

 

[Tyler Durden]

Will he still centre Ja.Benn and Seguin tomorrow night vs the Oilers?

 

[LT]

Possibly, not 100% sure. I don't think Seguin's gonna play another game at center this season after his injury.

 

[Mr Misty]

It's been pretty clear the lines are now
Benn Seguin Eaves
Eakin Spezza Hemsky
for the past two ish games. We'll see how long it lasts because Fiddler at 3C isn't working, but this is his best shot at a top 6 role.

 

[LT]

I must've completely missed Seguin being at center, and I don't remember seeing that first line out there more than once or twice (which I attributed to line changes)...

Maybe my memory is just foggy or something.

 

[Mr Misty]

I must've completely missed Seguin being at center, and I don't remember seeing that first line out there more than once or twice (which I attributed to line changes)...

Maybe my memory is just foggy or something.

I have a clear memory of Spezza being kicked out of a faceoff subsequently taken by Eakin about four times, and I think Razor said something about Seguin being back at center during the broadcast?

 

[LT]

I don't doubt you, I was extremely tired last night and was struggling to stay awake for most of the game. Just feel like normally I'd remember something that significant.