Ducks name Dallas Eakins as new Coach

News broke yesterday (by the esteemed and very savy CJ Woodling of Anaheim Calling) that all other options interviewed for the position had been told they would not be named the next Ducks coach – leaving Dallas Eakins as the lone man standing.

Today it was made official that the San Diego Gulls coach has been named the tenth coach in Ducks franchise history.

Eakins served as the Gulls coach for the past four seasons, from their inaugural rebooted season in 2015-16 until the most recent Calder Cup run that lead the team to the Western Conference Finals. He finished with a 154-95-23 record and three trips to the Calder Cup Playoffs during that span.

As a personal aside. For Ducks fans curious about what kind of style he will bring or what kind of players he favors – let me answer that by stating that he doesn’t really favor any particular player type or style over another. The Gulls forward lines were a blueprint into the kind of way Eakins likes to get the best out of his players. At points during the year they did change – due to call-ups and injury, but all the while the overlying theme would be matching complimentary styles while not alienating any particular skill set or trait.

• Kid doing a Fortnite dance during a break
• AHLTV scoreboard covering the screen during play
• #BENOITSMASH
• #DREWSMASH
• Snipe City Drew
• Brendan Guhle takes a bad penalty
• Trevor Carrick takes a penalty at the worst time possible
• Maple Syrup Bros
• Captain Sam Scores!
• Limoges Lets it GOOOOO!
• #PUREPERREAULT
• Spot Jeff Bush and the hat
• Dubious call goes against the Gulls
• Jacob Perreault draws a penalty
• Tropp The Mic – Style Goal
• Zilch hot mic interlude – fastfood chat or beatboxing

There was a speedster line, a grinding-energy line, a big body line of shooters and a veteran line. That doesn’t lend much insight into the type of player he favors, because he doesn’t favor any one type of player of another.

He works hard to get the best out of his players, mostly by letting them play.

In fact, if I had to lean toward any one player he might have held in slightly higher regard than others in terms of ice-time and the condition that they were very rarely if ever scratched. It would be those who hustle.

He is not afraid to bench someone if they don’t show up.

For Ducks fans longing for accountability – you will get it with Eakins.

San Diego will miss his wisdom, personable manner, general down-to-earth great guy to be around personality and of course – his ability to create meaningful catch-phrases.

For anyone unhappy with this hire or who have misgivings, I have three words for you.

Doesnt.

Fu….

Matter.