Cody Eakin admits it. He bends the rules on faceoffs all the time.
“It’s important to cheat enough that you can get that jump on somebody,” the Golden Knights center said, “but not enough where you get caught.”
But as the NHL cracks down on faceoff violations this season, Eakin thinks the league has been too strict in its enforcement of the rules.
“I think they’re still trying to get the right balance between penalties, kicking guys out and dropping the puck,” Eakin said Wednesday after practice at City National Arena. “I think that will come with a few more games, but it seems a little bit much right now.