Jeff Eatough

Toronto, Ontario's Jeff Eatough was a standout junior hockey player, convincing the Buffalo Sabres to draft Cornwall Royals star with their 5th choice in the 1981 Entry Draft. Eatough was a physical right winger with a good scoring touch. He scored 30 goals and 72 points the year he was drafted, but the following year, 1981-82, was the season Eatough will never forget.

Playing on a line with the great Doug Gilmour, Eatough exploded for 53 goals and 90 points. Throw in an agitated 180 penalty minutes and an inclusion on Canada's national junior team, and the Sabres thought they had found themselves a real mid-draft find. They rewarded Eatough with a look-see, giving him his first NHL game.

With a dream season and a NHL game game under his belt, Eatough must have been sky high. But things took a down turn the following season. He found himself traded away from Gilmour and the Royals early in the 1982-83 season, and never was able to find his scoring touch in North Bay.

As a result Eatough turned pro in 1983-84 with nowhere near the amount of confidence he had the previous year. And he was never able to find his confidence at the pro level. An injury plagued rookie pro season never helped, and quickly Eatough found himself surfacing in lowly minor leagues. He never got close to returning to the NHL ever again.