Game On Magazine 2017 Game On Magazine - Regular Season Edition | Page 14

PROFILE
C O DY
EAKIN
Raised on
Winnipeg’s Rinks
BY CARTER BROOKS
Photos by Bruce Fedyck
What happens in
Vegas, certainly does
not stay in Vegas.
Well, OK, certain things
may be best left in Vegas,
but other things – such as
the Golden Knights – should
be telecasted for the world
to see. Led by fiery forward
Cody Eakin, the NHL’s newest
franchise is already the
greatest expansion team ever.
It is fair to say that when
it comes to hockey, Eakin -
currently a forward within
the Vegas Golden Knights’
organization - has seen it all.
From humble beginnings in
Winnipeg’s Linden Woods,
to becoming a reliable
offensive option in the
Western Hockey League with
the Swift Current Broncos,
the 6-foot, 195-pound,
26-year-old honed his game
1 4 | G AME ON | R EGU L A R SEASON ED ITION 2018
to such a level that NHL
scouts began to take notice.
Drafted by the Washington
Capitals in the third round
of the 2009 NHL Entry
Draft, Eakin made his NHL
debut in Washington on
November 2nd, 2011. After
spending one season with
Alex Ovechkin and the
Capitals, Eakin was dealt to
the Dallas Stars in a draft-
day deal that he – still to this
day – calls, “career changing”.
“I really enjoyed Dallas,”
Eakin said. “It’s a big city and
everything is really spread
out. I got an opportunity in
Dallas to really show everyone
what I am capable of. It was
a great city to play in and the
fans really treated me well.
I’ve been to Cowboys games,
Rangers games, Mavs games
– the fans in Dallas support
their home team as well as
any city does. Well maybe
not quite like Winnipeg, but
very close. But the Stars’
organization really gave me
a chance to play every night,
and that’s something I’ll
always be thankful for.”
Eakin might have
remained in Dallas had
the 2017 Expansion Draft
not taken place. Golden
Knights assistant GM, Kelly
McCrimmon convinced GM
George McPhee to choose the
well-travelled Winnipegger
from the Stars to fill a
much-needed void down the
centre of the ice. With the
2009 IIHF World U18s, the
2011 World Juniors and the
2015 World Championships
under his belt, Eakin certainly
held the perfect mix of
youthful energy and veteran
experience required to help
guide the Golden Knights