Mark Eaton (ice hockey)

Last updated
Mark Eaton
Mark Eaton 2013-03-17.JPG
Eaton with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2013
Born (1977-05-06) May 6, 1977 (age 47)
Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 212 lb (96 kg; 15 st 2 lb)
Position Defense
Shot Left
Played for Philadelphia Flyers
Nashville Predators
Pittsburgh Penguins
New York Islanders
National teamFlag of the United States.svg  United States
NHL draft Undrafted
Playing career 19982013

Mark Andrew Eaton (born May 6, 1977) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Philadelphia Flyers, Nashville Predators, Pittsburgh Penguins, and New York Islanders. He is the only NHL player to ever come from Delaware. He attended John Dickinson High School in the Wilmington suburbs but played his youth hockey across the state line in Pennsylvania. He is currently the director of player development for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Contents

Playing career

Eaton with the Islanders in 2010. Mark Eaton NYI.jpg
Eaton with the Islanders in 2010.

Eaton started his post-secondary competition with the Waterloo Black Hawks of the United States Hockey League (USHL). He was named second team all-USHL, was the league's third-leading scoring defenseman and was honored with the Curt Hammer Award as the USHL's most gentlemanly player. [1] Eaton then moved on to the University of Notre Dame of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). In his only season at UND, Eaton was named the CCHA Rookie of the Year after scoring 12 goals with 17 assists for 29 points. [2]

On August 4, 1998, Eaton signed a contract with the Philadelphia Flyers as an undrafted free agent. [3] He made his NHL debut on October 2, 1999, against the Ottawa Senators, becoming the first player from the greater Delaware Valley region to play for the Flyers. [4] Eaton scored his first NHL goal, which was the game-winning goal, on April 8, 2000, against Rob Tallas of the Boston Bruins. He played his first NHL playoff game on April 13 against the Buffalo Sabres. [3]

Eaton was traded from the Flyers to the Nashville Predators on September 29, 2000, for a third round pick. While playing for the Predators in 2003–04, he set the franchise record for plus/minus at +16. [3] He scored a career-high three assists in a 5–3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on October 25, 2003. On March 3, 2006, Eaton was placed on injured reserve by the Predators with a strained knee injury. [5]

The Pittsburgh Penguins signed Eaton on July 3, 2006, as a free agent. [6] He saw limited time in his first two seasons, suffering with injuries, playing only 71 games between in 2006–07 and 2007–08. [3]

He won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, scoring 4 goals in the playoffs. On March 30, 2009, Eaton was named a nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy. [7]

Eaton in his first stint with the Penguins in 2009. Mark-eaton-penugins.jpg
Eaton in his first stint with the Penguins in 2009.

He signed with the New York Islanders as a free agent to a two-year contract on July 2, 2010. [8]

On January 22, 2013, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL announced Eaton had signed with the team on a Professional Try Out. [9] He was released in February, and started skating with his former NHL team, the Pittsburgh Penguins. On February 25, the Penguins signed Eaton to a 1-year deal worth $725,000. [10]

International play

Eaton played for the United States at the 2001 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships and recorded one goal (the game-winner vs. Finland) and one assist in nine games. He also played for the United States at the 2002 World Championships in Sweden and registered three assists in a 5–2 win vs. Italy.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

   Regular season   Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1995–96 Waterloo Black Hawks USHL 504212512
1996–97Waterloo Black HawksUSHL506323862
1997–98 Notre Dame Fighting Irish CCHA 4112172932
1998–99 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL 7492736381648120
1999–2000 Philadelphia PhantomsAHL47917266
1999–2000 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 27112870000
2000–01 Nashville Predators NHL34381114
2000–01 Milwaukee Admirals IHL 343121527
2001–02 Nashville PredatorsNHL5835824
2002–03 Milwaukee AdmiralsAHL31012
2002–03 Nashville PredatorsNHL5027922
2003–04 Nashville PredatorsNHL7549132660002
2004–05 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL2933621
2005–06 Nashville PredatorsNHL693144450008
2006–07 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL350331550000
2007–08 Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL360334
2008–09 Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL68459362443710
2009–10 Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL793131626130334
2010–11 New York Islanders NHL340338
2011–12 New York IslandersNHL6213410
2012–13 Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL60114
2012–13 Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL23000480330
NHL totals65024618524268491324

International

YearTeamEventResult GPGAPtsPIM
2001 United States WC 4th91120
2002 United StatesWC7th70334
Senior totals161454

Awards and honors

AwardYear
All-CCHA Rookie Team 1997–98

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References

  1. "Notre Dame Ice Hockey :: UND.COM :: The Official Site of Notre Dame Athletics". www.und.com.
  2. "Former Irish Hockey Standout Mark Eaton Captures Stanley Cup".
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Former Irish Hockey Great, Stanley Cup Champion Mark Eaton Returns To Campus This Weekend". und.com. August 31, 2009. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  4. "Mark Eaton". NHL.com. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  5. "Eaton, Perreault placed on IR". NHL.com. March 3, 2006. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  6. "PENGUINS SIGN DEFENSEMAN MARK EATON". NHL.com. July 3, 2006. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  7. "Clemmensen, Streit, Betts, Knuble, Eaton get Atlantic Division 2009 Bill Masterton Trophy nods". NHL.com. March 30, 2009. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  8. "Eaton and Jurcina agree to terms". New York Islanders. 2010-07-02. Retrieved 2011-05-19.
  9. "Penguins Sign Mark Eaton to PTO". Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Archived from the original on 2013-01-26. Retrieved 2013-01-23.
  10. "Penguins Sign Defenseman Mark Eaton". Pittsburgh Penguins . Retrieved 2013-02-25.
  11. "2017 Inductees | Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame in Wilmington, DE". February 25, 2024. Archived from the original on 2024-02-25.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by CCHA Rookie of the Year
1997–98
Succeeded by