Ben Eager

Benjamin Arthur Eager (born January 22, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Playing the role of an enforcer, Eager won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010.

Playing career Eager was drafted in the first round, 23rd overall, by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2002 NHL entry draft. He was later traded by the Coyotes, with goaltender Sean Burke and forward Branko Radivojevič, to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for centre Mike Comrie.

The 2006–07 season would see Eager lead the NHL in penalty minutes, even though he only played 63 games. That same season, he also won the Pelle Lindbergh Memorial Trophy as the Flyer who has most improved from the previous season, as voted by his teammates.

Eager was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks on December 18, 2007 for Jim Vandermeer.

Eager scored his first Stanley Cup playoff goal in game two of Chicago's victory against the Vancouver Canucks on May 2, 2009, in Vancouver. This led to the Blackhawks' first victory against the Canucks and evened the series at one game apiece. Eager scored his second playoff goal on May 31, 2010, in game two of the Stanley Cup Final against his former club, the Philadelphia Flyers. His goal ended up being the game winner, as the 'Hawks won 2–1. On June 9, 2010, he and the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, defeating the Flyers 4–3 in overtime in game six. Eager in April 2009 during his tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks.

On June 23, 2010, Eager was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers, alongside Dustin Byfuglien, Brent Sopel, and Akim Aliu, in exchange for the 24th and 54th overall picks in the 2010 NHL entry draft, both previously acquired from New Jersey, Marty Reasoner, Joey Crabb and Jeremy Morin. During the 2010–11 season, Eager delivered a sucker punch to the Toronto Maple Leafs' Colby Armstrong. Eager received a five-minute major, a match penalty for intent to injure and was ejected from the game. The NHL further suspended him for four games due to the incident. Midway through the season, he was traded to the San Jose Sharks for a fifth-round pick in 2011.

Eager signed a three-year, $3.3 million contract as an unrestricted free agent with the Edmonton Oilers on July 1, 2011.

On October 20, 2012, Eager was arrested and charged with assault, assault with bodily harm and assault with a weapon following an altercation at a bar in Toronto.

On March 13, 2013, Eager was placed on waivers by the Oilers for assignment to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Oklahoma City Barons.

Eager left the Oilers organization as a free agent and on July 11, 2014, signed abroad on a one-year contract with CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He returned mid-season to America, signing for the remainder of the campaign with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL.

In November 2016, Eager was named to the Chicago Blackhawks alumni team to play in the annual NHL Winter Classic.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Bold indicates led league Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1999–2000 Ottawa Jr. Senators CJHL 50 8 11 19 119 — — — — — 2000–01 Oshawa Generals OHL 61 4 6 10 120 — — — — — 2001–02 Oshawa Generals OHL 63 14 23 37 255 5 0 1 1 13 2002–03 Oshawa Generals OHL 58 16 24 40 216 8 0 4 4 8 2003–04 Oshawa Generals OHL 61 25 27 52 204 7 2 3 5 31 2003–04 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL 5 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 1 8 2004–05 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL 66 7 10 17 232 16 1 1 2 71 2005–06 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL 49 6 12 18 256 — — — — — 2005–06 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 25 3 5 8 18 2 0 0 0 26 2006–07 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL 3 0 0 0 21 — — — — — 2006–07 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 63 6 5 11 233 — — — — — 2007–08 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 23 0 0 0 62 — — — — — 2007–08 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 9 0 2 2 27 — — — — — 2008–09 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 75 11 4 15 161 17 1 1 2 61 2009–10 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 60 7 9 16 120 18 1 2 3 20 2010–11 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 34 3 7 10 77 — — — — — 2010–11 San Jose Sharks NHL 34 4 3 7 43 10 1 0 1 41 2011–12 Edmonton Oilers NHL 63 8 5 13 107 — — — — — 2012–13 Edmonton Oilers NHL 14 1 1 2 25 — — — — — 2012–13 Oklahoma City Barons AHL 9 0 2 2 13 13 1 4 5 64 2013–14 Oklahoma City Barons AHL 44 6 2 8 136 2 0 0 0 4 2013–14 Edmonton Oilers NHL 7 0 1 1 2 — — — — — 2014–15 CSKA Moscow KHL 5 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 2014–15 Chicago Wolves AHL 26 0 2 2 86 — — — — — AHL totals 202 19 28 47 744 32 2 6 8 147 NHL totals 407 43 42 85 875 47 3 3 6 148

International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 2002 Canada WJC18 8 1 3 4 45