Mr Viral
Jake Evans is having a great 2024-25 season. In 39 games, the 28-year-old center already has 10 goals and 23 points to his name, approaching his career highs (13 goals and 29 points in 72 games during the 2021-22 season).
But beyond the points, he is primarily a real asset on the penalty kill. And that makes him quite indispensable in the city.
That said, Evans has chosen his year to have a big season, as he will become a free agent in a few months. This means that the Canadiens will have to pay him to keep him beyond this year… and it seems like that will happen.
According to Renaud Lavoie, who reported over the weekend that Evans wanted to stay in the city and the Canadiens wanted to keep him, it seems to be just a matter of time before this is resolved. Here’s what he had to say about it this morning, as reported by TVA Sports:
I don’t know when, but there is a wedding coming to ensure that Jake [Evans] stays in the organization. – Renaud Lavoie
It’s not if, but when. https://t.co/DaGP2tnIKg
— TVA Sports (@TVASports) January 6, 2025
Assuming everything goes well and it all ends with a contract extension for the young veteran, it would be a nice success story for the organization. We know that Evans was a very late draft pick (207th overall in 2014) who spent four years in the NCAA and honed his skills in Laval before establishing himself in the NHL.
He is a great example for the young players in the organization, as he has an impeccable work ethic and does things the right way. And the fact that he is well-liked in the locker room is another major positive.
In terms of contract specifics, it’s interesting to see how often Phillip Danault’s name comes up in this discussion. We shouldn’t expect to see Evans earning $5.5 million per year… but it seems we are setting the stage for a world where the annual salary will be quite high (around $4 million per year?). That’s the risk that comes with signing a guy in the middle of his biggest career season.
Evans is far from being a 50-point player per year like Danault was, after all. I understand why some say he has “replaced Danault,” but we need to be cautious.
Do you think Jake Evans has truly replaced Phillip Danault in the Canadiens lineup? https://t.co/eKajCfpmVp#clubdumatin #Evans #Canadiens pic.twitter.com/ZeDj4zskMe
— BPM Sports (@BPMSportsRadio) January 6, 2025
That being said, even though I expect a pretty pricey contract, signing Evans is the right decision for the Canadiens in my opinion. I discussed this last week: the Canadiens no longer need late first-round picks at this stage of their rebuilding process. They should rather start retaining support players because drafting another Filip Mesar or Ryan Poehling won’t yield much.
Yes, that pick could be used in a trade… but would you prefer Jake Evans or Alex Newhook right now?
Three years ago, the Canadiens faced a similar dilemma with Artturi Lehkonen, and they ultimately traded the Finn in what is now recognized as one of the poorer moves of the Hughes/Gorton era. Do we want to avoid making the same mistake by trading a guy who has proven he can thrive in the Montreal market? Because that’s also an unknown with players drafted late in the first round.
We’ll have to see how this situation evolves, but everything seems to point toward Evans returning to Montreal for the coming years. We will pay him at the peak of his value, and that represents a risk… but if Kirby Dach becomes the second center we know he is capable of being, paying a premium for Evans won’t be that bad.
In Brief
– The case of Frank Vatrano, who signed a contract extension in Anaheim, is another good comparison for Jake Evans’s situation.
The Ducks aren’t there yet. But their play of late and the Frank Vatrano extension are signs that they’re gearing up to step out of rebuild mode.#FlyTogether https://t.co/MlXyTDuRaD
— Eric Stephens (@icemancometh) January 6, 2025
– Arthur Kaliyev claimed by the Rangers. We don’t know if the Canadiens wanted him.
Rangers claim Kaliyev
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 6, 2025
– Great read.
The Quebecer decided to challenge himself last summer https://t.co/8Q1YrjydBK
— TVA Sports (@TVASports) January 6, 2025
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