Dallas Eakins is in his third year as head coach of the Toronto Marlies.

Eakins was named the third head coach in team history on August 4, 2009. He previously served as the Director of Player Development for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In his first two seasons as head coach, the Marlies have compiled a record of 70-67-7-16 with Eakins behind the bench. Toronto narrowly missed the playoffs in 2010-11, finishing fifth in the North Division with a 37-32-1-10 record. Eakins and his staff coached the team to the league’s top penalty killing unit with a 86.1 percent success rate.

During his first full season as head coach in 2009-10, Eakins guided the club to a 33-35-6-6 record despite his team suffering more than 400 man games lost due to injury. He won his first game behind the bench in the team’s home opener on October 4 against the Hamilton Bulldogs, 3-2. 

Eakins, 44, has spent the past six seasons in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization in various roles. From 2006 to 2008 he served as an assistant coach for the Maple Leafs. During the 2005-06 season, Eakins was an assistant coach with the Marlies.

The Dade City, Florida native was originally drafted by the Washington Capitals in the 10th round, 208th overall, in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft. Eakins played in 120 games for Winnipeg, Florida, St. Louis, Phoenix, the New York Rangers, Toronto, the New York Islanders and Calgary, collecting nine assists and 208 penalty minutes. He retired from professional hockey following the 2004 season with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL.

Eakins played his junior hockey with the Ontario Hockey League’s Peterborough Petes. He currently lives in Toronto with his wife Ingrid and his daughters Emerson and Cameron. 

Gord Dineen enters his third season as an assistant coach with the Toronto Marlies.

Dineen, 48, was named an assistant coach on August 21, 2009 after spending the 2008-09 season as the head coach of the Iowa Chops, the AHL affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks. Under Dineen’s guidance, Iowa earned a record of 33-33-4-10. He has worked as both a head coach and an assistant coach in professional hockey since the 1999-00 season.

Dineen began his coaching career during the 1999-2000 season as a player/coach with the Utah Grizzlies. In 50 games with the Grizzlies, he registered 18 assists and 26 penalty minutes.

He made his head coaching debut with the Macon Whoopee of the ECHL during the 2001-02 season. The following season he served as the head coach of the Richmond Renegades, guiding them to a 35-31-6 record.

From 2003 through 2008, Dineen served as an assistant coach with four different American Hockey League teams: the Springfield Falcons (2003-04), Utah Grizzlies (2004-05), San Antonio Rampage (2005-06) and Portland Pirates (2007-08).

As a defenceman, the Toronto native competed in 18 seasons of professional hockey (1982-2000). In 528 career NHL games with the New York Islanders, Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Ottawa, he registered 106 points on 16 goals and 90 assists with 695 penalty minutes. He was selected 42nd overall in the 1981 Entry Draft by the Islanders.

Derek King enters his third season as an assistant coach with the Toronto Marlies.

The Hamilton native returned to the organization after playing 161 games for the Maple Leafs from 1997 to 2000 during which he scored 45 goals and 53 assists for 98 points. He played 14 seasons (1986 – 2000) in the NHL with the New York Islanders, Hartford, Toronto and St. Louis. In 830 games, he compiled 612 points on 261 goals and 351 assists, while adding 417 penalty minutes. King notched three 30-goal seasons, including one 40-goal season during his NHL career. He was also a player-assistant coach with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins for two seasons from 2002-03 to 2003-04. He was selected 13th overall in the 1985 Entry Draft by the Islanders.