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| From The Athletic |
The Winnipeg Jets have acquired center Cody Eakin from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for a conditional 2021 4th round draft pick. If the Jets make the playoffs or Eakin re-signs with the team at the end of the season, then the Knights receive a 2021 3rd round pick instead.
The Golden Knights recently acquired Alec Martinez from the Kings. To shed salary and get back some draft picks (they traded two second rounders to L.A.), they decided to trade away an expiring contract. When Vegas was shedding salary in the offseason, it was a surprise that they didn\’t trade Eakin, who had one more year left with a cap hit of $3.85 million. It hurt them, as Eakin would have gotten a much better return in July than he did now. Then, he was fresh of his first 20 goal season. Now, he is in his worst season since 2016-17, his last with Dallas. A 2009 third rounder, Eakin is an expensive bottom six center, but for half a season it is okay. He can also play on the penalty kill. He has averaged two minutes and three seconds a game on the penalty kill this year. That is the second most for a Vegas forward, a second behind William Karlsson. While his scoring is down, Eakin is a fine defensive center and they did not give up much to get him. He is also from Winnipeg.
Eakin, 28, has scored four goals with six assists for 10 points in 41 games for the Knights this year. In his NHL career for the Knights, Dallas Stars and Washington Capitals, Eakin has scored 102 goals and 130 assists for 232 points in 578 games.
CarterHud 