Time to play Eaton

Friday, 01 March 2013 08:55

Written by Dave Molinari

The Penguins' 4-1 loss to Carolina Thursday night was a genuine team effort -- just about everyone contributed to getting steamrolled by the Hurricanes -- and making one lineup change hardly can be expected to cure all that was wrong with the Penguins in that game.

Still, if recently signed defenseman Mark Eaton is truly ready to play, he should be in uniform when the Penguins visit Montreal Saturday night.

Eaton has his limitations -- he is 35 and tends to get injured -- but he also is responsible and savvy in his own end, and the Penguins' attention to defensive details Thursday night was atrocious.

Eaton certainly is not a savior, and probably shouldn't be expected to claim a spot in the Penguins' top-six unless there are injuries, but he could provide some stability and sound play in an area of the ice where the Penguins certainly could use it.