Marc Bergevin wasted little time checking off the first thing on his to-do list. The Montreal Canadiens announced they have signed prospect Jake Evans to a two-year entry-level contract. The contract carries him through the 2019-20 NHL season.
Montreal Canadiens Sign Prospect Jake Evans
Evans played four seasons in the NCAA with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. In 158 career games, Evans scored 41 goals and added 97 assists. He also served as the team’s captain during his senior year. He capped off his final season with Notre Dame with a second place finish in the NCAA Frozen Four tournament. Evans also represented Canada in this years Spengler cup tournament.
Last Word on Hockeys Ben Kerr had the following report just a few weeks ago:
Drafted in the seventh round by the Montreal Canadiens in 2014, Evans has grown during his time at Notre Dame and is one of the top players in college hockey. He has 11 goals and 38 points in 34 games this year, and is the top scorer on the number-two ranked team in the country by seven points. Evans is a strong two-way player who does it all for the Irish. Plays on the top line, plays against the other team’s top players, works on the power play, and helps kill penalties. He is a strong playmaker in the offensive zone, with good instincts, vision and passing skill. Evans will likely never be an NHL game breaker, but could provide some secondary scoring and defensive play on a second or third line in time.
Where Evans Fits into the Habs Lineup
With so much uncertainty at the centre position, the Habs will surely give Evans a long look. As Ben Kerr mentioned, he’s not the elite centre which the Habs need for their top lines but he will add is some much-needed scoring depth to the bottom six. Evans is a natural leader, and his two-way game fits head coach Claude Julien‘s mould perfectly. The only question is how much AHL time he will need before being ready to jump to the big club.
The signing is the first of what we expect to be a busy off-season for the Montreal Canadiens.
ANN ARBOR, MI – JANUARY 05: Notre Dame Fighting Irish forward Jake Evans (18) and Michigan Wolverines forward Dexter Dancs (90) chase after the puck during a regular season Big 10 Conference hockey game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Michigan Wolverines on January 5, 2018 at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
