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Jake Evans is back with the Montreal Canadiens after the Trade Deadline

By Omar L

MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 08: Jake Evans #71 of the Montreal Canadiens skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at the Bell Centre on February 8, 2020 in Montreal, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 in overtime. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 08: Jake Evans #71 of the Montreal Canadiens skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at the Bell Centre on February 8, 2020 in Montreal, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 in overtime. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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The Montreal Canadiens removed from their roster and have recalled Jake Evans from the Laval Rocket to plug up some of the holes.

With the deals made on Trade Deadline Day, the Montreal Canadiens would need bodies to play. Ilya Kovalchuk is off to the Washington Capitals, and Nate Thompson is making his way to the Philadelphia Flyers, leaving a hole at the fourth-line centre position. Jordan Weal or Nick Cousins could be the players to fill it for the Habs, but it looks like Jake Evans will get an opportunity as well.

Evans is back with the team after being sent down from his initial stint with the Canadiens. The 2014 seventh-round pick saw six NHL games in Montreal, scoring his first goal in a loss to the Arizona Coyotes. Since being sent down to the Laval Rocket, Evans put up two goals and two assists in three games, adding to his total, which is leading the team (14 goals and 24 assists for 38 points in 51 games).

With the Habs waiting until after the Trade Deadline to call Evans up, he is eligible to return to the Rocket and play in the playoffs (assuming the team gets there). Additionally, Evans’ recall is the first of four the team is allowed to have.

If Evans is called upon to play against the Vancouver Canucks, he can return to his play in the team’s bottom six. Claude Julien also relied on him to kill penalties, and hopefully, his training with Thompson will help him win more faceoffs for the Habs down the stretch.

The question is whether Evans stays with the team for the rest of the season or if he’s sent back down in favour of other young players. Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Ryan Poehling are still down in Laval and could want a chance to play with the Montreal Canadiens again.

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Either way, it’s a good opportunity for Evans to show the Habs what he can do on a longer basis. At the same time, it may also be a way for him to show management that he can be a full-time NHLer and perhaps use this as evidence to make the team out of camp next season.

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