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Vegas Golden Knights Report Card: Cody Eakin

By Andrew Steele-Davis

LAS VEGAS, NV - FEBRUARY 16: Cody Eakin #21 of the Vegas Golden Knights faces off with Kyle Turris #8 of the Nashville Predators during the second period at T-Mobile Arena on February 16, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - FEBRUARY 16: Cody Eakin #21 of the Vegas Golden Knights faces off with Kyle Turris #8 of the Nashville Predators during the second period at T-Mobile Arena on February 16, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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SAN JOSE, CA – APRIL 23: San Jose Sharks right wing Barclay Goodrow (23) faces off with Vegas Golden Knights center Cody Eakin (21) during Game 7, Round 1 between the Vegas Golden Knights and the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, April 23, 2019 at the SAP Center in San Jose, California. (Photo by Douglas Stringer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA – APRIL 23: San Jose Sharks right wing Barclay Goodrow (23) faces off with Vegas Golden Knights center Cody Eakin (21) during Game 7, Round 1 between the Vegas Golden Knights and the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, April 23, 2019 at the SAP Center in San Jose, California. (Photo by Douglas Stringer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Why The Grade

We’ve given Cody Eakin an A because, considering his status as a third-line checking pivot, his offensive numbers way exceeded that role while his play in the defensive zone still remained solid.

Eakin rolled back the years in 2018-19 and enjoyed an offensive resurgence, putting up numbers not seen since his days with the Dallas Stars back in 2016.

He achieved career-highs in goals (22), points (41), points per game (.53) and shooting percentage (18.3), perfectly illustrating his offensive prowess last year.

And not only was the NHL veteran a potent weapon offensively, but he also performed the duties expected of a third-line center to perfection.

With a plus/minus rating of +19, a faceoff win percentage of 51.0 and 88 hits along with 51 takeaways, Eakin was a dominant two-way forward for the Golden Knights last season.

He was solid in the postseason too and his average total ice time of 17:02 in the playoffs, along with 15:23 in the regular season, proves just how much Vegas relied on their veteran pivot.

And you could even suggest that the best is yet to come for Eakin when you consider that he could be playing on a third-line alongside Alex Tuch and Nikita Gusev next year, if the latter doesn’t get traded of course.

That scenario would give Eakin the best possible chance of bettering last year’s offensive numbers and putting together another career year, which would be a huge help given that the 28-year-old is entering the final year of his current contract.

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However, he may well have already played his last game for the Vegas Golden Knights given that, with a cap hit of $3.85 million, he’s now the team’s most expendable player if they have to move someone in order to free up the cap space to sign Gusev to a new deal.

Should that be the case and Cody Eakin does find himself on the way out of Sin City as part of a trade, then he can certainly leave with his head held up high knowing that he finished on a high after putting together a career-year.

The Numbers

Games: 78

Goals: 22

Assists: 19

Points: 41

Power Play Points: 4

Shooting Percentage: 18.3

PIM: 16

ATOI: 15:23

Plus / Minus: +19

Hits: 88

Blocked Shots: 35

Takeaways: 51

CF%: 49.7

oZS%: 50.8

Games (Playoffs): 7

Goals (Playoffs): 2

Points (Playoffs): 2

ATOI (Playoffs): 17:02

Next Report Card: Nick Holden

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