Forward Jake Evans is in the midst of a career year with the Montreal Canadiens. The 28-year-old has been a major part of the team’s resurgence. His ten goals and 23 points in 41 games rank fourth on the team. His defensive play and faceoff ability have also made him one of head coach Martin St. Louis‘ most trusted options. Evans’ contract expires this season and he is due for a major pay upgrade. His play has also raised his value on the trade market.
But with the Canadiens making a playoff push, Kent Hughes has a big decision looming. Whether to trade Evans and potentially hurt the team in the short term, or keep him past the deadline with hopes to re-sign him. With Renaud Lavoie reporting that the Canadiens have started contract negotiations with Jake Evans, it seems that the Canadiens are leaning towards keeping the reliable forward. But, is this the right decision?
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Jake Evans Situation
Evans Value to Montreal Canadiens
Forward Jake Evans has been a member of the Canadiens since the 2019-20 season. He was drafted by the Canadiens in the seventh round of the 2014 NHL Draft. He was a part of the Canadiens 2021 run to the Stanley Cup Finals and therefore provides some playoff experience for a young team. Evans also provides some much-needed defensive and faceoff ability for this forward group. He has also helped the team boast the 11th-best penalty kill in the league.
The Canadiens have two young centremen in Owen Beck and Oliver Kapanen who can replace Evans in the long term. However, as it stands today, they can’t provide the same impact that he can in the NHL. Therefore losing Evans at the deadline would be a huge blow to the Canadiens playoff hopes this season.
Evans Trade and Contract Value
Jake Evans’s current contract comes in at 1.7 million AAV. His play this season has earned him a significant pay raise this offseason. This pay raise may be too much for the Canadiens to give to a bottom-six centreman. Therefore they may test the open market on Evans at the trade deadline.
If we look at Hughes’ past trades of players like Lehkonen, Toffoli, and Chiarot, we see that they all got packages of young players and prospects. This is what he would be seeking in an Evans trade. A good player comparable in trade would be that of Blake Coleman. Coleman was sent to the Lightning for a solid prospect and a late first. The Lightning went on to win a championship beating out the Canadiens interestingly enough, with Coleman being an integral part of that.
A player like Evans who provides so much on-ice value at such a low cap hit will be a highly sought-after option at the deadline. His career year will also have him likely earning the biggest contract of his life in the offseason. Many teams will be willing to give him a contract in the 3-4 million range. This is a high asking price as he likely can’t replicate this season’s production. However, the Canadiens may be able to persuade him to take a discount to stay in Montreal and be a part of the team’s bright future.
The Verdict for Kent Hughes
The final decision for Kent Hughes likely comes down to whether or not he believes he can re-sign Evans at a reasonable cap hit and also where the Canadiens sit in the standings come the deadline. Trading a player like Evans might send the wrong message to a young team that has fought hard to round the corner and put themselves in the playoff hunt. However, if the team does choose to ship out the forward, they can expect to receive a hefty package for his services.
Main Photo Credit: Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images
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