Patrick Eaves

Amateur

Eaves attended Shattuck-St Mary's School which is an Episcopal Church-affiliated boarding school in Faribault, Minnesota. He played his collegiate hockey at Boston College. After a very good freshman year the Senators drafted him 29th overall in the first round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He played two more years with the Eagles, where he won several awards, including Hockey East Player of the Year, earned All-America and All-Conference first-team honors, and was a Hobey Baker Finalist. Also during that time he represented his country at the 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, tallied one goal and five assists in six games. In 2005, he decided to leave Boston College to sign with the Ottawa Senators.

Ottawa Senators

Eaves started the 2005–06 season with the Binghamton Senators in the AHL, and after a good start he was called up to Ottawa, hitting the 20 goal plateau in the NHL. The playoffs, however were a disappointment as they lost to the Buffalo Sabres in the second round.

In the 2006–07 season, Eaves recorded career highs in points (32) and assists (18) which included 10 points (6–4) in 13 games in January. In game three of the first round of the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs on Sunday, April 15, 2007, Eaves took a violent shoulder check to the head after coming around the Penguins' net from Pittsburgh Penguins forward Colby Armstrong, causing him to be carried off the ice on a stretcher. He did not return to play the rest of the series. In the Eastern Conference finals against the Buffalo Sabres, Eaves returned to the lineup in the series-deciding game five.

Carolina Hurricanes

In the 2007–08 season, Eaves spent much of the season injured. On February 11, 2008, the Senators traded Eaves along with Joe Corvo to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Cory Stillman and Mike Commodore. On June 4, 2008, he signed a three-year contract with the Hurricanes worth $4.2 million.

In the 2008–09 season, Eaves saw his production drop, recording only 6 goals and 8 assists in 74 games, battling shoulder injuries much of the season.

Detroit Red Wings

On July 24, 2009, Eaves was traded by the Hurricanes to the Boston Bruins along with a 2010 fourth-round draft pick in exchange for defenseman Aaron Ward. The Bruins then placed Eaves on waivers for the purpose of buying out his contract. On August 4, 2009, Eaves signed a one-year contract, valued at $500,000, with the Detroit Red Wings. Eaves scored his first goal with the Red Wings in a 6-5 shootout loss to the Edmonton Oilers on October 29, 2009. In early January, 2010, he scored his 50th career goal against the San Jose Sharks.

On July 7, 2010, Eaves signed a one-year extension with the Detroit Red Wings.

On July 1, 2011, Eaves signed a three-year extension with the Detroit Red Wings. The deal was worth $3.6 million, and had a cap hit of $1.2 million per year.

Eaves played just 10 games in the 2011–12 season before suffering a broken jaw and a concussion in a game against the Nashville Predators on November 26, 2011. Predators defenceman Roman Josi's shot hit him in the side of the face; Eaves missed the rest of the season due to the concussion.

On October 29, 2012, Eaves stated he was "not close" to returning and was still suffering headaches and post-concussion symptoms from the previous year's injury. On January 18, 2013, the official Detroit Red Wings Facebook page announced that Eaves was cleared to return to play.

Nashville Predators

On March 5, 2014, Eaves was traded to the Nashville Predators, along with Calle Järnkrok, as part of a deal that brought David Legwand to Detroit. Eaves played 5 scoreless games with the Predators to close the 2013–14 season.

Dallas Stars

Eaves brief tenure with the Predators came to an end on July 1, 2014, when he signed as a free agent to a one-year deal with the Dallas Stars. On July 1, 2015, the Dallas Stars re-signed Eaves to a one-year contract.

In the midst of the 2016–17 season, his third and final year of contract with the Stars, Eaves had already established career highs with 21 goals and 37 points, playing on the top offensive line, alongside Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin.

Anaheim Ducks

With the Stars languishing in the standings, on February 24, 2017, he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a conditional 2nd-round draft pick in 2017. Upon arrival in Anaheim, Eaves picked up right where he left off with the Stars. He recorded 11 goals and 3 assists to put him well above his previous career best numbers. Eaves played in 7 playoff games with the Ducks before suffering a lower body injury that kept him out for the remainder of the playoffs.

On June 23, 2017, Eaves opted to give up his impending free agent status to sign a three-year, $9.45 million contract to remain with the Ducks.

Personal life

Eaves was born in Calgary, spent some years in Blackwood, New Jersey, and grew up in Faribault, Minnesota. He is the son of former Calgary Flames and Minnesota North Stars standout Mike Eaves, formerly the head coach of the University of Wisconsin–Madison's men's hockey team, who coached Patrick at the 2004 World Juniors. Patrick and his wife Katie welcomed a daughter, Norah, in July 2010, and welcomed another daughter, Della, in March 2012. They welcomed a son, Axel, in June 2013. The family also has a Newfoundland named Reuben, an occasional visitor to Joe Louis Arena.