Cody Eakin
While Eakin has been a moderately productive player in this league, his time with the Buffalo Sabres is rather forgettable. In 115 games, the face-off specialist has just 19 points and seven goals, and his shooting percentage was an ultra-fringe 5.4 last season,
Eakin’s knack for winning face-offs and providing a sound defensive presence gave him some value. But the problem is that the Sabres forked out millions for a fourth-liner whose best days have long since passed.
Prediction: There is no way the Sabres will re-sign Eakin on a seven-figure deal. There are others on the team that can also fill his specialty for winning face-offs in 2022-23. While he would make a valuable rotational player in the NHL, that role will not be with the Sabres. Expect general manager Kevyn Adams to let Eakin walk.