Cody Eakin signed a two-year, $4.5 million contract with the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 11. It has an average annual value of $2.25 million.
The 29-year-old forward scored 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 49 games with the Winnipeg Jets and Vegas Golden Knights last season, including five points (one goal, four assists) in eight games after he was traded to the Jets on Feb. 21. He did not have a point in four games in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers.
Eakin said Wednesday he expects to be the third-line center and kill penalties.
"We had a good chat, me and (coach) Ralph [Krueger], the second day of free agency," Eakin said. "He just kind of told me the way the team was functioning, the way he likes to do it. ... I'm most comfortable when it's good chemistry with your linemates, playing that style of run-and-gun and not getting outworked, getting a task at hand and just focus on that, focus on being that role player for a team and providing energy."
Selected by the Washington Capitals in the third round (No. 85) of the 2009 NHL Draft, Eakin has scored 237 points (103 goals, 134 assists) in 586 regular-season games with the Capitals, Dallas Stars, Golden Knights and Jets, and has 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in 50 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
The Sabres also signed forward Taylor Hall to a one-year, $8 million contract Oct. 11.
