[Signing] Flames sign Cody Eakin to PTO

[Caged Great]

I've liked Eakin since he was in Dallas.

It's not really surprising that he struggled in Buffalo because well that's the entire organization.

Would I be shocked if he rebounded under a coach like Darryl Sutter. Absolutely not.

I would expect that unless he's terrible that the Flames will sign him to be the 12th/13th forward on a league min contract.

[Sandman]

Sutter specializes in making defensemen look good-he's mastered how to use them. Look what he did for Phaneuf. Or Aucoin. He rejuvenated Hamrlik's career. Andrew Ference was a lesser player before coming to Calgary. Gudbranson will never look as good as he did in a Flames uniform, and will probably go back to being a whipping boy.

[1qqaaz]

I didn't realize that Eakin was 56% on faceoffs last season.
That's pretty pretty good.

[bax]

Face off specialist who is sound defensively? Sounds like the prototypical Sutter extra forward.

[dustygoon]

If he makes the team, then it says something about how terrible our prospects are.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

If he makes the team, then it says something about how terrible our prospects are.

Lol, no it doesn't. Totally different roles.

[Bingo]

Great to have a PTO or two in town to make the veteran quotes for preseason games. That's a given.

I don't think the Flames see any of the young guys as fourth line options so this isn't competition for the Pelletier's of the world at all.

Potential pressure on Rooney and maybe Lewis, but even that's doubtful.

Honestly pleasantry surprised to see the over reaction count pretty low in 5 pages.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by bigpete

Always been kind of meh. Last couple of years in Buffalo have been particularly meh.

I'd rather give a young guy a shot.

I'm typically in the same camp in terms of Treliving continuously giving these retreads PTOs when the Flames have players waiting in the wings like Ruzicka.

However, to me, this Eakin PTO actually makes some sense. If he's the player he was a couple of seasons ago he's a guy that will play Sutter hockey and really be an asset.

If not, it's cutsville.

[FlamesAreOne]

Depth and competition are good things. This is fine.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Great to have a PTO or two in town to make the veteran quotes for preseason games. That's a given.

I don't think the Flames see any of the young guys as fourth line options so this isn't competition for the Pelletier's of the world at all.

Potential pressure on Rooney and maybe Lewis, but even that's doubtful.

Honestly pleasantry surprised to see the over reaction count pretty low in 5 pages.

People always forget this aspect, and its why i would expect at least one more add before camp gets going.

There are rules for icing teams in pre-season that say you have to play actual NHL players, which you do not want your regulars doing every game night.

This guy is worth a look at the very least if for no other reason than his defensive acumen and truly outstanding faceoff abilities.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

I wonder if the wranglers in town makes it easier to consider PTOs and signing them to contracts.

A league min contract is easily buried. For the player they wouldn’t have to move and are still sort of around the team. For the team an easy(er) send down and call up if they end up 14th or 15th fwd or 8th or 9th D.

Maybe makes the insurance policy a little more palatable for both sides.

[Knut]

A solid 7/7 on the Mullet Scale.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I don't have an issue with this PTO - or probably any PTO. It is what it is - a try-out. If Eakins works his butt off and earns a deal, great. If he doesn't, that's ok too - Flames did him a solid by showcasing him, and he did the Flames a solid by filling the veteran quota, allowing the Flames to rest one more guy.


If the Flames do sign him (which would surprise me), who is he roadblocking in the prospect pool? Duehr? Pospisil? That's about it. I like both those prospects, but if they don't out-compete and out-shine Eakin, then they are simply not ready for the next step.



I think Schwindt, Jones, Pelletier, Ruzicka, etc., are all better served playing in the top 9 somewhere (that 3rd line being ideal of course). Eakins is not competing with them there (unless by some miracle he suddenly regains his offensive ability). Eakins is what he is - a great guy in the room who excels at faceoffs, but has limited upside everywhere else now (including on the PK according to those JFresh cards).


I will say the same thing for every PTO that the Flames sign - I hope that player comes in and does really well, and forces the Flames to sign him. To me, that just means that he will make the Flames a better team. If not, I hope they sign somewhere else.

[Drunk Uncle]

Removed

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Drunk Uncle

Here's a fun fact:

Over the last 3 years Eakin's points/60 5v5 (1.51) is higher than Milano's (1.48).

This is not true.

Eakin: 0.84
Milano: 1.60

[Toonage]

To be fair he's Drunk Uncle, not Statistically Accurate Uncle.

[Drunk Uncle]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

This is not true.

Eakin: 0.84
Milano: 1.60

Was looking at 18-19 to 20-21 which is clearly incorrect

[Reggie Dunlop]

Bad move by Treliving. This could cost him his job.

[gvitaly]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1569205994596581376

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

It's not really surprising that he struggled in Buffalo because well that's the entire organization.

Bad teams are bad because they have bad players. I am sure they expected, Eakin who was making $2.5 million, to have a bigger individual impact than he did.

Maybe he wasn't part of the problem there, but he wasn't helping either.