Ex-Eagle Eaves has landed

Eaves made the jump to the pros the next season, signing with the Ottawa Senators, who had selected him in the first round of the 2003 draft (No. 29 overall).

Eaves scored 20 goals in 58 games in a productive rookie season. In 2006-07, he improved his point total from 29 to 32 (14 goals) in 73 games as the Senators made a run to the Stanley Cup finals. The next season was a difficult one, as Eaves suffered a shoulder injury against Buffalo on Nov. 21, 2007. He was traded to Carolina Feb. 11, 2008, with Joe Corvo for Cory Stillman and Mike Commodore.

Finally healthy, Eaves said he's enjoying his time with the upstart Hurricanes, who went into last night with a 2-1 lead over the Bruins in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals. He has been playing on a line with veteran Rod Brind'Amour and Ryan Bayda, but Eaves knows that could change at any time because coach Paul Maurice juggles his lines frequently.

"I think our game is very simple and straightforward, but I think it's also effective," said Eaves, 25. "We work well together, there's chemistry there, and I really enjoy it. Hopefully, we can stay together for a while."

As much as Eaves enjoyed his time with the Senators, he said he feels very comfortable with the Hurricanes.

"I really like the way things are run with Paul here," he said. "He has everyone on the same page. We play as five and he preaches that and it's been successful for us in the second half of the year and so far through the playoffs. I really like playing in this system. It's all about five guys moving together and that makes it really hard on the other team. We get scoring chances and turnovers off that, while being defensively sound. I think that's really a key."

Maurice said Eaves's ability to play in all situations makes it easier for the coach to make adjustments.

"He goes from being a guy who every once in a while we would have thrown him up with [Eric] Staal and given him big minutes in an offensive role to playing in a third-line checking role where he is playing big minutes to dropping to the fourth line and being a bit of a grinder," said Maurice.

"But if he gets anywhere into the shooting area, he's probably got the quickest release really on our team. I know that doesn't hold by statistics, but he puts some very dangerous shots at the net."

Eaves grew up in a hockey home. His father, Mike, is a former NHL player and head coach at the University of Wisconsin. In what would have been Eaves's senior season at BC, the Eagles made it to the NCAA championship game before losing to his father's team.

Eaves said his three seasons at BC were invaluable.

"[Coach] Jerry York, he runs a great program there," he said. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't spend those three years there. I matured, not only as a hockey player but as a person to set me up for this level. I owe a lot to Jerry and his coaching staff."

Maurice said Eaves not only has a strong work ethic but has an upbeat personality that is contagious.

"He competes and grinds and he's a little bit like [Tuomo] Ruutu," said the coach. "No matter how many hits he takes over the course of the game, he comes to the rink the next day with a big smile on his face, and you need a little bit of that. So he brings more than just some hard work. I think he's in a comfortable position. He knows that he may go left wing, right wing every second shift, and he can do that. He may be killing penalties, he may not, depending on the flow of the game. He's a coach's son, he's on the bench and he's aware of what's going on around him."

When he first arrived in North Carolina, Eaves was still suffering the effects from his shoulder woes but said he felt welcome.

"I didn't know what to expect, it being my first trade, but walking in here, they got us going right away and into the swing of things," he said. "It's really a tribute to all the guys on the team."

At this time of year, Eaves said he's able to draw on the lessons he learned when his former team went to the finals.

"You can't put a price on experience," he said. "You have to be in those battles and high-pressure situations. I've taken a lot from that and tried to bring it over to this team and this playoff run so far."

Nancy Marrapese-Burrell can be reached at marrapese@globe.com.