Dallas Eakins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dallas Eakins
Eakins in 2023
Born	(1967-01-20) January 20, 1967 (age 58) Dade City, Florida, U.S.
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Winnipeg Jets Florida Panthers St. Louis Blues Phoenix Coyotes New York Rangers Toronto Maple Leafs New York Islanders Calgary Flames
Current coach	Adler Mannheim
Coached for	Edmonton Oilers Anaheim Ducks
NHL Draft	208th overall, 1985 Washington Capitals
Playing career	1988–2004
Coaching career	2005–present

Dallas Franklin Eakins (born January 20, 1967) is an American professional ice hockey coach and a former player. He played as a defenceman in the National Hockey League (NHL) for many years. Now, he is the head coach and general manager for Adler Mannheim in Germany's top league, the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.

Early Life and Family

Dallas Eakins was born in Dade City, Florida. His mother was Carol Ploof and his birth father was Ted Yoder, who was a Native American. His parents separated soon after he was born. Later, his mother married a Canadian truck driver named Jim Eakins. Dallas took his stepfather's last name.

When Dallas was seven years old, his family moved to Peterborough, Ontario, in Canada. He started playing hockey there. As a kid, he even played in the famous Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament in 1980 with his team from Peterborough.

Playing Career

Junior Hockey Success

Eakins played for the Peterborough Petes in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for four seasons. In his last year, he was the team captain and was named their best defenceman. A long-time manager for the Petes called him the best captain the team ever had. He was known for being a great leader, a hard worker, and very tough.

Professional Hockey Journey

In the 1985 NHL Entry Draft, the Washington Capitals chose Eakins. He went on to play 120 games in the NHL. He played for several teams, including the Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. He scored 9 assists during his NHL career. Eakins was the first player born in Florida to ever score a point in the NHL.

Most of his career was spent in the American Hockey League (AHL) and the International Hockey League (IHL). In these leagues, he was a star player. He played in 882 games and scored 222 points. He also won two championships: the Calder Cup and the Turner Cup with the Chicago Wolves.

While playing for the Manitoba Moose in 2003, Eakins changed his jersey number from 6 to 37. He did this to honor his friend, Dan Snyder, who had died in an accident.

Coaching Career

Eakins coaching the Edmonton Oilers in 2014

After he stopped playing, Eakins became a coach. He started as an assistant coach for the Toronto Marlies and the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 2009, he became the head coach of the Marlies. He did so well that he was chosen to coach in the AHL All-Star games for two years in a row.

NHL Head Coach

In 2013, Eakins became the head coach of the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL. He coached the team for about a year and a half. In 2015, he was hired by the Anaheim Ducks to coach their AHL team, the San Diego Gulls.

The Ducks promoted him to be their NHL head coach in 2019. He coached the team for four seasons. In April 2023, the Ducks decided not to renew his contract.

Coaching in Germany

In November 2023, Eakins took on a new challenge. He became the head coach and general manager for Adler Mannheim, a team in Germany's top ice hockey league.

Personal Life

Eakins is married to Ingrid Kavelaars, an actress. They have two daughters. His hockey career was featured in a book called Journeymen: 24 Bittersweet Tales of Short Major League Sports Careers.

Career Statistics Summary

Head Coaching Record

Eakins has coached several teams in the NHL and AHL. Here is a summary of his time as a head coach.

NHL Coaching Summary

• Edmonton Oilers: Coached for 113 games.
• Anaheim Ducks: Coached for 291 games.

AHL Coaching Summary

• Toronto Marlies: Coached for four seasons, leading them to the Calder Cup Final in 2012.
• San Diego Gulls: Coached for four seasons, making the playoffs three times.