Former Maple Leafs coach takes on new coaching job in Europe
During the 1998-99 season, Dallas Eakins played 18 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs, registering 2 assists and 24 penalty minutes. Following his stint with the Leafs he would bounce around between the NHL, AHL and IHL before retiring in 2004. Following the NHL lockout, Eakins would make his coaching debut as an assistant coach of the Toronto Marlies in the 2005-2006 season before being promoted to an assistant coach of the Maple Leafs.
Eakins spent 2 seasons behind the Leafs bench before taking over as the Director of Player Development for one season and then as the Marlies head coach from 2009-2013. Eakins has since had stops behind the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks benches in the NHL as well as the San Diego Gulls bench in the AHL.
After being fired by the Ducks at the end of last season, Eakins was without a job until this week. Today, it was announced that Eakins will now be the head coach and general manager of Adler Mannheim in the DEL, Germany's top league. According to Elliotte Friedman, Eakins' coaching position is temporary for now as he will assume the coaching duties until the end of the season before re-evaluating the position.
It's quite the career change for Eakins, but could be a way for him to get back into the NHL as a front office executive given his struggles in the league when acting as a head coach. In six seasons behind the bench as a head coach with Edmonton and Anaheim, Eakins has compiled a record of 136-210-58 in 404 games, which is a putrid .408 points percentage.
Congrats to Eakins on his new gig in Europe. Wishing him nothing but the best.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 27 | 271 ANSWERS Former Maple Leafs coach takes on new coaching job in Europe Will Dallas Eakins return to the NHL as an executive at some point? | ||
| Yes | 85 | 31.4 % |
| No | 89 | 32.8 % |
| Depends how he does in Europe | 97 | 35.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
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