Pros To Trading Cody Eakin
First and foremost, Cody Eakin is going to be an unrestricted free agent next summer so it makes this decision easier when it comes to trying to get something for the forward rather than risk losing him for nothing in the off-season.
And, following the emergence of rookie Cody Glass this year, it is fair to suggest that Eakin has become expendable now.
I mentioned this in another piece on Tuesday but Eakin has become somewhat of a road block for Glass and his progress this season.
Why’s that? Because, entrenched in the third line center role, Eakin has ensured that Glass has been stuck on the wing for large chunks of the season.
A natural center, Glass has shown what he’s capable of after scoring the vast majority of his seven points (three goals, four assists) as the second line pivot between Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone.
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Now, granted, Glass has fared okay on the wing but he’s struggling as of late because of the struggles of the third line, which has become somewhat of a poisoned chalice for the Golden Knights.
As a result, trading Eakin would allow Glass to be promoted back up to the second line where he can play top six minutes, bumping Paul Stastny down to the third line and thus automatically strengthening the Knights’ strength in depth at the center position.
And, by trading Eakin for either a role player, picks or a prospect and shedding the forward’s $3,850,000 cap hit, the Knights would have some cap space to go out and trade for a left wing to slide in on the third line alongside Stastny and Alex Tuch.
Because, let’s face it, with just one point in 11 games Brandon Pirri has hardly got it done this year, while Valentin Zykov‘s future with this franchise is unclear following his 20-game suspension for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.
Or, it could allow them to go out and trade for the puck-moving defenseman they so desperately crave, maybe somebody like Tony DeAngelo of the New York Rangers?
However, getting back to Eakin, he has regressed somewhat this season after carving out career-highs in goals (22) and points (41) in 2018-19.
Through 15 games this season, the 28-year-old has no goals and just three assists with a plus/minus rating of -6, and he ranks low in a plethora of possession metric stats.
So, cutting ties with a player who appears to be on the slide and freeing up some cap space would be a big win for the Vegas Golden Knights, who have other holes on the roster they need to plug.