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Yesterday, the Dallas Stars said goodbye to a player who, all on the quiet, has become a team pillar and a fan favorite when they traded RW Patrick Eaves to the playoffs-bound Anaheim Ducks.
The Stars feel pretty much the same way you do. (Is that comforting? It might be oddly comforting.) [Stars Inside Edge]
"He's one of the most unselfish guys I've ever played with. A great teammate and a great guy. That was tough news to hear," Stars captain Jamie Benn said of the Eaves deal. "We put ourselves in this situation. I wish we hadn't put ourselves in this situation."
For his part, Eaves told NHL Radio he’s ready to do what his new team needs him to do, pretty much as he’s done in Dallas. [SportsDayDFW]
"You just know you're going to have a tough time every time you play against the Ducks," Eaves said. "It's a team I'm joining and I'm really excited about that, just because of the way they play and the way they're positioned in the playoff hunt."
Stars GM Jim Nill has known Eaves longer than almost anyone, and his message was simple:
"I told him, 'Go there and win the Stanley Cup. You deserve it,'" Nill said.
Elsewhere, Julie Dobbs talked to Jason Spezza after the game and reported this:
Interesting hearing Spezza's thoughts on Eaves trade, says it's hard not to feel guilty that it got to the point that he had to be moved.
— Julie Dobbs (@JulieAnnDobbs) February 25, 2017
Eaves, an overproducing winger and pending UFA on an exceptional-value contract, checks many, many boxes for the Ducks. [Sports Illustrated]
Fun fact: Did you know that even before he plays a single game in Disney Land, Eaves is the highest-scoring Duck this season who is not named Rickard Rakell? [ESPN]
Yet there are people who think a conditional second was an overpay for the majestic Maj. Eaves. Some of them are Ducks fans. [Anaheim Calling]
With a top scorer gone, and the post-bye week malaise the NHL has experienced generally, it may have been too much to ask for the Stars to bring home the home win. But that’s exactly what they did with their 5-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. The Captain even tied The Major’s goal tally for the season to date.
He said it: Players and coaches comment after Stars' 5-2 win against Arizona https://t.co/lCtFXCgtEf via @sportsdaydfw
— Mike Heika (@MikeHeika) February 25, 2017
While Razor worked on his lollygagging, the Stars worked on whatever helped them to snap the bye-week curse.
Tomorrow’s matinee against the Boston Bruins will be televised nationally on NBC, which means the entire country will get to hear Dave Strader back on the job.
Dave Strader will get a chance to tell the nation how it feels to be back in the booth https://t.co/Aq5rqM6kpC pic.twitter.com/DGSSI91NPb
— SportsDay Stars (@dmn_stars) February 25, 2017
Eaves is one of those players who can make almost any team better – but there are other trade-deadline targets who could actually make some teams worse. Dom Luszczyszyn takes a look.
There are some players who will be worth the asking price at the deadline, and others who would make teams worse: https://t.co/6EmxPQSLL4
— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) February 25, 2017
Also at THN: USA Hockey helped Patrick Kane become the player he is today. Ryan Kennedy has an overview of the program’s current status. [THN]
They’re baaaaaaack: Five Vancouver Canucks are showing symptoms of mumps, and now we’re all flashing back to the Outbreak of 2014.
5 Vancouver Canucks benched due to mumps https://t.co/1K9UWOYK2g pic.twitter.com/KeDTZ8N2lk
— HockeyNightInCanada (@hockeynight) February 24, 2017
Shall we take some cold comfort in the knowledge that #Kevin will almost certainly get to the Stanley Cup playoffs this year? With their 4-2 victory over the Florida Panthers, the Calgary Flames won their second game in as many nights and are now officially on a roll. [Matchsticks and Gasoline]
Here’s a little perspective on the Flames’ winning streak.
In the past month, only the Washington Capitals (9-2-1) have a better winning percentage than the Calgary Flames (8-2-1).
— Darren Haynes (@DarrenWHaynes) February 25, 2017
Meanwhile, if you can’t stand the NHL’s standings format, Greg Wyshynski has some hate just for you.
Is the NHL standings format screwing up the playoffs? https://t.co/JZbJgAj1LZ
— Yahoo Sports NHL (@YahooSportsNHL) February 25, 2017
The NHL Draft lottery giveth, and it taketh away, as the Montreal Canadiens can attest.
The @CanadiensMTL draft lottery miss on Auston Matthews really stings now. https://t.co/nWUu9hxoyI @reporterchris pic.twitter.com/gKJ6Hm27lf
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 25, 2017
Finally: One last time for one of the greatest beards in hockey. We’ll miss you, Patrick.
That magical moment at Disney when Chewy calls you his brother! #byeweek #WaltDisneyWorld #StarWars #chewbacca #timetoshave? pic.twitter.com/Q6Xj25V3Nt
— RealPatrickEaves (@Patrick_Eaves) February 23, 2017