Montreal Canadiens forward Jake Evans was stretchered off the ice after a forceful hit from Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele. Evans was responsive as he was being removed from the game.
Oh man. Jake Evans being stretchered off in Winnipeg.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 3, 2021
Jake Evans Stretchered off the Ice After Scheifele Hit
Evans was in the process of scoring an empty-net goal prior to the hit occurring. He wraps it around the back of the net, and then a booming hit from Mark Scheifele sends him flying into the boards. Evans did not move for a solid chunk of time while a scrum evolved around him.
The 2014 seventh-round draft pick got his first true NHL action this season with the Canadiens, playing 47 games. In those 47 games, Evans scored only 13 points, three of them being goals. He played at a fairly average level throughout the season, coming in and out of the lineup for former head coach Claude Julien and current head coach Dominique Ducharme. Evans took part in three of the seven games against the Toronto Maple Leafs and game one against Winnipeg. He played 17:55 against the Jets, and his last few seconds in the game might have cost him the series, just as it could for Scheifele.
Evans never saw it coming. He was focused on icing the game and putting the puck in the back of the net. However, number 55 in Jets blue had some other ideas. While Evans did complete his task, he got blown up in the process as Scheifele blistered him into the boards. Evans was down on the ice for a considerable period and eventually had to be stretchered off after being helped by team doctors and physicians. It’s a hit that needs to be removed from the NHL altogether because no one wants to see a player get hurt. No one wants to see an injury of this magnitude either.
What Comes Next?
Evans’ future in the playoffs doesn’t look good, and neither does Scheifele’s. However, with the lack of consistency from the Department of Player Safety, it’s hard to see a non-repeat offender get a lengthy suspension, as much as most fans might think he should. He may get a suspension, just not a very long one. As for Evans, the timetable is still unclear, and evaluations could take a bit of time. One thing is for sure though, the Canadiens as a team will have an even bigger chip on their shoulder for the rest of this series.
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