LOS ANGELES – Almost a year ago Dallas Stars forward Patrick Eaves took a shot to his head against the Florida Panthers.

When Eaves came to his senses he was relieved to some degree. Though he was in pain, he knew it wasn’t as bad the last time he was hit flush with a puck in that general area.

“I knew it wasn’t even close on the same scale,” Eaves said. “I woke up and my eyes were pretty clear and it was another freak play where it just hit me out of nowhere. It’s not like I was trying to stay out of the way, but I knew right away when I woke up it wasn’t even on the same level, so I was like ‘oh thank god.’ I was able to sleep that night and that was the biggest thing.”

In late November of 2011, Eaves, then a member of the Detroit Red Wings, took a blast in his ear off the stick of Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi. Immediately Eaves dropped to the ice, having suffered a broken jaw and a devastating concussion.

It took over a year for Eaves to return to NHL action. During his recovery, there wasn’t much doubt from him if he could play again. But it was a painful and arduous process for him and his family. Now with the Stars he’s turned into versatile power play specialist. He may not play every game and found himself as a scratch at points, but the fact that he’s returned to the league in a role with the NHL’s top offensive bunch is a major step for Eaves. Last summer Eaves signed a one-year $1.15 million extension with the Stars. He has three goals and one assist in 26 games this season. A year ago he had 14 goals and 13 assists in 47 games with Dallas to earn that deal.

“He’s a real good person, he’s a good competitor,” Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. “Not the biggest guy but he has one of the quickest releases and he pays attention to his role on the ice. He’s a good power play guy and he gets inside. Some of his injuries have come from being in front of the net and taking pucks and I think sometimes you deal with that when you go to the right place.”

After Eaves was hurt by Josi’s shot, he couldn’t sleep. Migraines prevented him from any sort of slumber. His first month after the injury his jaw was wired shut. Light bothered him, so he would spend entire days in a dark room for two months. For six months Eaves said he struggled with headaches and light sensitivity.

“Eventually they started to go away, but then we pushed it a little bit and they’d come back,” Eaves said. “It was kind of like a trial and error the whole time.”

View photos Caption: DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 26: Patrick Eaves #17 of the Detroit Red Wings is taken off the ice by stretcher after taking a slap shot to the side of his head and breaking his jaw during an NHL game against the Nashville Predators at Joe Louis Arena on November 26, 2011 in Detroit, Michigan. Wings won 4-1. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images) More

At the time, Eaves was under contract with the Detroit Red Wings and was living in Michigan, away from family. He had a young child and his wife was pregnant with their second at the time. Not only did she have to care for Eaves, she had to care for herself as well.

“It was harder on her than it was for me. I just had to worry about myself and she had to worry about all of us while being pregnant,” Eaves said. “She basically got our family through that whole thing and was supportive of me and whatever steps I needed to take, she was right there with me.”

When Eaves hooked up with Dr. Jeff Kutcher, a neurologist in Ann Arbor, Michigan, he started to see improvements. Kutcher got him in medication to help him sleep, and once Eaves started to rest easier at night the symptoms started to abate. He next played Jan. 21, 2013.

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