Patrick Eaves was ready for a good break. Having played a season layered with injuries and tragedies, the Boston College forward needed some light at the end of his tunnel. <\/p>\n
Saturday he got that. Originally thought of as a strong second- or third-round selection in the NHL Entry Draft, Eaves got a true shock when the Ottawa Senators announced his name as the 29th pick of the first round.<\/p>\n
“I was just kind of sitting there talking to my dad and I heard my name called,” said Eaves. “It’s unbelievable.”<\/p>\n
Unbelievable is maybe the appropriate word as it can sum up the season of ups and downs, highlights and tragedies this young player endured.<\/p>\n
Eaves’ year began like the dream he hoped — potting two goals in the season opener at Massachusetts. Despite the early taste of success, Eaves knew that this was a totally different level for him.<\/p>\n
“From the atmosphere in the locker room, I knew it was a different level [from the national team],” said Eaves, who potted 53 points in 49 games with the U.S. under-18 team the season prior. “I knew a little bit and I knew the level because we’d played college teams [with the national team]. But it was really unique to see the guys in the locker room. There’s something about being in the locker room with older guys.”<\/p>\n
Little could Eaves, whose older brother Ben stood as team captain, know exactly how much he would need to lean on those teammates through one of the toughest seasons a college player could have.<\/p>\n
Sure, there were good times in the young rookie’s campaign. He noted an early-season win versus Denver as one of those highlights.<\/p>\n
“Beating Denver when they were ranked number two, that was a huge game,” said Eaves. “You knew they were a really good team and we were ranked eighth. Right when you got out on the ice there was an energy that was really special. The Conte Forum was rockin’ — it was so fun to be out there.<\/p>\n
“After winning that game, once we knew we could win against the big team, in the huddle [before games] there was a confidence.”<\/p>\n
Things were certainly well on the way for Eaves. In 13 games he’d scored 17 points. In a critical Dec. 7 game versus Maine, Eaves scored a first-period goal, charging up the Conte Forum crowd. Minutes later, though, the same young Eaves silenced the Eagle faithful.<\/p>\n
“I remember the silence throughout the building. You could hear a pin drop,” said Eaves, describing the Conte Forum after he’d been struck in the back of the neck and lay motionless on the ice.<\/p>\n
Eaves lay paralyzed temporarily. While skating backwards at a high speed, Eaves was accidentally struck by an opponent’s stick.<\/p>\n
“I remember there was a puck going in that was shot to the net and I believe it was shot wide,” said Eaves. “So I was pivoting to go back up ice through the middle and whack, I got hit on the back and the head near the neck.<\/p>\n
“I went into what they call spinal cord shock. I couldn’t move. I was lying face down and I remember the ice being really cold and [the trainer] Burt [Lenz] came over and I said, ‘I can’t move.’ I just felt dead.” <\/p>\n
Eventually feeling returned and Eaves was even able to return to his feet, much to the pleasure of older brother Ben.<\/p>\n
“I got to my knees and [linemates] Ben and Tony [Voce] picked me up,” said Eaves. “Ben said to me, ‘Get up for your standing O.’ It was scary how silent it had been in there.”<\/p>\n
Though able to walk off the ice, minutes later Eaves was flat-boarded and transported to the hospital. The prognosis was not good. A broken neck would leave Eaves off the ice for 12 weeks, putting a devastating halt to the young prospect’s rookie season.<\/p>\n
“The news was really, really devastating,” said Eaves. “With the World Juniors coming up, it was awful. My brother was there with me and the team chaplain [Fr. Tony Penna].”<\/p>\n
Penna, who Eaves listed as a major influence in his life despite only knowing one another for one year, gave him a message that night that carried him through his entire recovery process.<\/p>\n
“He told me I had 24 hours to be down and then I had to pick myself up,” Eaves said. “I was really blessed to have him. <\/p>\n
“It took me 12 weeks to recover and I got on the ice in nine weeks. It was tough but I realized I just had to keep my spirits up. I couldn’t do much.”<\/p>\n
Eaves’ hopes to make an impact-filled return rested on one hope — that the Eagles could have a successful postseason. The hopes were there as he returned to the ice for the opening round of the Hockey East playoffs. <\/p>\n
“It was unbelievable,” said Eaves of his comeback game against seventh-seeded Merrimack. “All the coaches, they worked really hard with me after practice and in the early morning, so I worked really hard to get back. When I got to put my jersey back on, I had chills. I knew I’d worked hard for something.”<\/p>\n
The silence that Eaves heard in the Conte Forum that December 7th night was quickly erased during the introduction of the starting lineup. The BC faithful reacted with a raucous applause.<\/p>\n
“When I got called out for the starting lineup, the place went nuts,” said Eaves. “It was really loud.” <\/p>\n
And the building would remain loud as the two clubs gave the crowd a great back-and-forth game. Eaves wasted no time getting back into the swing of things, setting up his brother, Ben, for a 2-on-1 goal. The younger Eaves played an aggressive game hoping to show everyone that not only was he healthy but he wasn’t scared to get hit.<\/p>\n
The aggression, though, poured a bit too far. Late in the game, with the outcome still in the balance, Eaves chased a lose puck to the top of the faceoff dots in the Merrimack defensive zone. Simultaneously, Warriors goaltender Joe Exter raced forward, the two meeting in a horrifying collision with Exter’s head crashing against the ice just as his helmet came off.<\/p>\n
“It was pretty scary out there,” said Eaves of both the collision, the immediate impact to Exter and the subsequent melee that erupted. Exter had suffered a fractured skull, immediately when into convulsions and needed a breathing tube inserted on the ice to save his life. It was a nightmare Eaves never imagined.<\/p>\n
“I would never want to put someone in my shoes [after my injury], and by accident I did,” said Eaves, holding back tears. “It was an awful feeling. I knew I didn’t mean to hit him. I knew that deep down.<\/p>\n
“Right after I hit him, I knew I didn’t mean to hit the kid. I had the ref standing right next to me and I said, ‘I didn’t mean to hit him.’ Then chaos broke out.”<\/p>\n
Eaves was ejected from the game for the hit and received, afterward, a five-game suspension for the disqualifications he accumulated — one for the hit, one for the fight, and one from earlier in the season. His comeback was over, but that was the least of his worries.<\/p>\n
“I got undressed and went down to the training room right away and Doctor [Lynn] English said he’d just left,” Eaves said. “She said it didn’t sound good. ”<\/p>\n
The next day, Eaves visited the Exter family at the hospital. He describes walking in there with only one word — scary.<\/p>\n
“[Talking to his family] was one of the scariest things I ever had to do. I didn’t know how they were going to accept me,” said Eaves. “Emotionally I knew that they were strung out, but I knew I had to see him. I went the next day. <\/p>\n
“His mom was one of the strongest ladies I’ve ever known. She brought me in and gave me a hug and I’ll never forget that. He had such a great supporting cast and they treated me really well. But I’ll never forget walking into that room. It was really scary.”<\/p>\n
Fortunately for all involved Exter has been able to make a recovery. After remaining in a coma for more than two weeks, Exter progressed quickly through rehabilitation.<\/p>\n
“I’ve heard that he was able to skate, which is great,” said Eaves when asked about the injury at Saturday’s draft. “He’s doing better now so that’s really good to know.”<\/p>\n
With that event and tragedy now behind him, Eaves is able to reflect positively on the season. Though filled with difficult situations, Eaves has experienced solid growth — emotionally and physically.<\/p>\n
“I wouldn’t change this year for anything because of the stuff that I’ve learned,” Eaves said. “I’ve grown up a lot as a person because of all of this. It’s been the best year of my life, even with all the stuff that has happened.”<\/p>\n
With that mentality, Saturday’s draft was a great and fitting culmination of that year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A season filled with great highs, and some amazing lows for BC freshman Pat Eaves. But looking back, he says it was all worth it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":140328,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"coauthors":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n