Proposal: Cody Eakin to Buffalo?

[Blitz]

Hi all;

Sabres fan coming in peace... Just wondering about the availabilty/asking price of Cody Eakin at the draft?

Would something around one of our d-men or Grigorenko/Ennis be of any interest from a Dallas POV?

Thoughts?

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[Satan]

don't want to think about the draft in the midst of our tank for Ekblad, sorry.

 

[piqued]

Eakin is an important part of this team's construction and I don't see why he would be available at the draft (any more than all players are theoretically available). The Stars have no internal options who could replace what he brings at center in the near future. He's in the same age range as the rest of our core forward pieces and ought to be able to grow along with the club.

 

[glovesave_35]

Eakin is an important part of this team's construction and I don't see why he would be available at the draft (any more than all players are theoretically available). The Stars have no internal options who could replace what he brings at center in the near future. He's in the same age range as the rest of our core forward pieces and ought to be able to grow along with the club.

Agreed. The only situation that makes sense for trading Eakin would be for a Kesler type of player.

 

[Hull Fan]

Hi all;

Sabres fan coming in peace... Just wondering about the availabilty/asking price of Cody Eakin at the draft?

Would something around one of our d-men or Grigorenko/Ennis be of any interest from a Dallas POV?

Thoughts?

Anyone who wouldn't trade Eakin for Grigorenko is insane. The upside on these two players is vastly different. Eakin is that solid grinder who gives max effort every night. Grigorenko has amazing talent and can be special, though he may need a year in the AHL to get there.

After this season at the draft if you can get a special talent for a guy like Eakin then yes I make that trade 100 times. Dallas would have to add I imagine but Grigorenko can be a 2nd line center and would be a great add to this roster going forward.

 

[BigG44]

Agreed. The only situation that makes sense for trading Eakin would be for a Kesler type of player.

Or Edler assuming Dallas does address 2nd line center via trade or free agency.

Point is though that Eakin only seems reasonable to trade if it's an upgrade at center (not Grigo or Ennis) or a better center was acquired in previous move.

The chances of everything falling into place are slim to none, but if you sign Stastny, Eakin could be an attractive trade chip to land a guy like Edler. I still wouldn't move him for Grigo or Ennis in that situation. Dallas would be better off with Seguin-Stastny-Eakin. That said, it would still blow my mind if Dallas dumped $6 or $7 a year on Stastny .... that's so much money for a luxury without addressing some major needs.

 

[BigG44]

Anyone who wouldn't trade Eakin for Grigorenko is insane. The upside on these two players is vastly different. Eakin is that solid grinder who gives max effort every night. Grigorenko has amazing talent and can be special, though he may need a year in the AHL to get there.

After this season at the draft if you can get a special talent for a guy like Eakin then yes I make that trade 100 times. Dallas would have to add I imagine but Grigorenko can be a 2nd line center and would be a great add to this roster going forward.

Eakin is an NHLer and Grigorenko is a prospect. It's not insane. I don't get the over the top support for an unproven asset. These guys are great assets when you're selling off expiring contracts and what not, but you're in a perpetual re-build if all you ever do is turn NHL assets into prospects. That's not what good teams do.

I get the unknown is sexy and what not, but there's just no reasonable explanation to turn a current 2nd/3rd line center into maybe (and there is a maybe ... you tend to assume every asset you like is sure thing) 2nd line center.

 

[Hull Fan]

Eakin is an NHLer and Grigorenko is a prospect. It's not insane. I don't get the over the top support for an unproven asset. These guys are great assets when you're selling off expiring contracts and what not, but you're in a perpetual re-build if all you ever do is turn NHL assets into prospects. That's not what good teams do.

I get the unknown is sexy and what not, but there's just no reasonable explanation to turn a current 2nd/3rd line center into maybe (and there is a maybe ... you tend to assume every asset you like is sure thing) 2nd line center.

This is about upside. You don't sell Nichushkin for upside because not many have his upside. You probably don't sell Chiasson for upside unless his return fills a defensive hole and even still I'd rather trade Eakin before trading Chiasson. Eakin however is a 3C. The fact that he's our 2C is because we don't have anyone else to fill that spot not because his production and skills match that need.

He has a great amount of want to, drive, and relentlessness but actual tangible offensive skill to anchor a 2nd line and make his teammates better is a huge question mark. Sceviour could probably replace him without missing much of a beat. He'd just need an off-season to work on faceoffs and center positioning again. Having Eakin is nice but he's not a huge cog or a secondary scoring giant that keeping him outweighs the potential Grigorenko brings to the table.

On the other hand Grig's has immense offensive talent, great skill, and puck skills that put Eakin to shame. Which says a lot because Eakin is a decent puck handler. Grig has great vision and the passing skills to match. Unfortunately he was thrown into the NHL too soon. How Buffalo handled him was a shame but his production in juniors, at the world championships, and amongst his peers separates him from most other options.

I have no doubt Dallas would love to have Stastny or Grabovski but neither may choose to come to the Stars. If you get a chance to add that kind of talent to your roster and the cost comes at a decent but let's be real about Eakin's true value, then you have to do it. It's not like I'm advocating trading for a 30 year old center or even an 18 year old 3 seasons away. His junior team is in the playoffs and perhaps he'll got the route Dallas does and play for Buffalo's AHL team when they're done. He could be good to go starting next season or need some seasoning in the AHL but his timeframe is probably a year at most.

The Stars don't have anyone outside of perhaps Dickinson with his talent in the system. I count Shore a step below and both are a few years away. Grigorenko would be our best prospect and a guy you can pretty much pencil into the lineup sooner rather than later unless something catastrophic happens. I try not to think worse case scenarios and the same could be said about Eakin. This team has enough pieces that Eakin won't make or break the franchise. Grigorenko has the kind of talent that can transform our 2nd line. We've seen what kind of difference Seguin makes to this roster. I'm not in any way comparing the two but I am saying that when you slot the proper type of player into the proper role other players benefit as well.

If you trust your scouts and assuming his time in Buffalo hasn't ruined him (there's no reason to think that) then he's an upside gamble that could make a huge difference in just a few years. Maybe I'm wrong but he's the better player than Eakin in 3 years and if that's true why would you not make that trade? The step you may take back next year isn't as great as the step you may take forward when he's in the lineup in the future. This team still needs an infusion of talent. There are plenty of grinders and want to guys, but not enough players with his hockey IQ.

 

[Rune Forumwalker]

Grigorenko, Myers, and a 1st for Eakin.

Eakin however is a 3C. The fact that he's our 2C is because we don't have anyone else to fill that spot not because his production and skills match that need.

He has a great amount of want to, drive, and relentlessness but actual tangible offensive skill to anchor a 2nd line and make his teammates better is a huge question mark. Sceviour could probably replace him without missing much of a beat. He'd just need an off-season to work on faceoffs and center positioning again.

Bad jokes aside, time to get serious. I disagree with all of this here. Eakin is a 2C, no question. The problem is things are a bit skewed such that people expect 2nd liners to be 60 point guys, while 3rd liners are 40+ or 50+ point guys.

Some of the centers in question on the market that would be nice to have aren't really 2C's either, but could more accurately described as 1B's. Sceviour as the 2C would be a huge downgrade too. At best he's probably a 3C, but IMO the better option for him would be to turn him into another Peverley in a guy that mainly plays wing but can slot over to center/take faceoffs in a pinch.

 

[KiedisA]

Hi all;

Sabres fan coming in peace... Just wondering about the availabilty/asking price of Cody Eakin at the draft?

Would something around one of our d-men or Grigorenko/Ennis be of any interest from a Dallas POV?

Thoughts?

First admit that it was a good goal and we talk.. .

 

[Zrhutch]

If you ain't talkin tyler myers I don't wanna taaaaalk

 

[TrillMike]

If you ain't talkin tyler myers I don't wanna taaaaalk

Laughed so hard at this.

 

[glovesave_35]

Or Edler assuming Dallas does address 2nd line center via trade or free agency.

Point is though that Eakin only seems reasonable to trade if it's an upgrade at center (not Grigo or Ennis) or a better center was acquired in previous move.

The chances of everything falling into place are slim to none, but if you sign Stastny, Eakin could be an attractive trade chip to land a guy like Edler. I still wouldn't move him for Grigo or Ennis in that situation. Dallas would be better off with Seguin-Stastny-Eakin. That said, it would still blow my mind if Dallas dumped $6 or $7 a year on Stastny .... that's so much money for a luxury without addressing some major needs.

You said it yourself though, if we were to add Stastny you could then move Eakin for a better defenseman. It's moving pieces around to address needs any way you can, not adding a luxury willy nilly.