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Dallas Eakins enjoys fitness, family time while waiting for next coaching gig

Dallas Eakins enjoys fitness, family time while waiting for next coaching gig

By David McPherson

There’s a saying: an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. Dallas Eakins has had a lot more idle time than he prefers the past six months; he keeps Lucifer at bay and makes sure his mind is sharp through regular exercise, whether it’s running, hitting the gym, or cycling.

Everyone knows the frequent joke in professional sports about players who don’t make the playoffs having more time to golf. How about coaches let go in mid-season? That’s the case for the ex-Edmonton Oilers bench boss, and former NHLer, who was fired last December. Substitute golf with any other outdoor sport — especially cycling — along with bonus family time.

“I need the riding,” he admits. “Being let go in such a public fashion is part of our business, but even though it’s part of your business, that doesn’t mean it’s easy. It’s extremely hard on yourself and it’s extremely hard on your family. I’m lucky I have two little ones who teach you valuable lessons to move on quickly.”

After the Oilers released Eakins, he relocated to Vancouver with his wife and two children (ages six and three). He met his wife, Ingrid, in the city and has been coming to Vancouver every summer since the mid-1990s. Currently, they are renting a friend’s place while waiting for the next move.

Besides parking his butt in the saddle, Eakins’ family have also helped keep him grounded.

In Vancouver, Eakins usually cycles several times a week. He often rides with a group called T&A, led by Aritzia founder and CEO Brian Hill. Retired NHL player Trevor Linden, a good friend of Eakins and now the president of hockey operations for the Vancouver Canucks, is also a member. T&A recently had their own training camp in Kelowna.

“Brian’s place is right on the lake and Trevor’s is next door,” Eakins recalls. “We go for three or four days. It’s a great experience. Brian has a chef there and even a massage therapist. We ride every day. There’s good food and a few glasses of wine at night.”

Back in Vancouver, Eakins does the Grouse Grind every other day, training for his sixth Leadville Trail 100 MTB. I caught up with the 48-year-old the day after the Blackhawks won their third Stanley Cup in six years. He jokes that “Chicago is like a bad smell, they never go away.”

Eakins has no plans to go away either anytime soon. For now, he’s taking time to decide on his next career move. “I have two more years left on my contract, which is nice to have for my family, but I’m not good with idle time,” Eakins admitted.

So, what’s next?

“I would like to get back into coaching,” he says. “I’m certainly not going to take a job just for the sake of taking a job. It has to be right for my family first and my career second. I have some options on the table right now and I’ll know over the next two or three weeks if they will work or not.”