The Montreal Canadiens are on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff race. Entering the season, many thought the Canadiens would be a bottom-feeder, thus making them a seller at the trade deadline. However, expectations inside the organization were higher than that. The front office, led by executive vice president Jeff Gorton and general manager Kent Hughes, felt that this team should be playing meaningful games in March and April, even with the pending unrestricted free agents. Players like Joel Armia, David Savard, Christian Dvorak and Jake Evans were going to end up in the rumor mill.
Evans has been drawing a lot of interest. He has a cap hit of $1.7 million and is a great fit for a contending team looking to add a bottom-six center and penalty killer. A new report links Evans to several teams, including the New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, Tampa Bay Lightning, Minnesota Wild, New York Islanders, and Nashville Predators.
However, the Canadiens also want to keep Jake Evans. The two sides have been working on an extension, but they are finding out that while the term isn’t an issue, the dollar amount is. If Evans wants more than $3.5 million a season, he is probably on his way out of Montreal.
Is Jake Evans on the move from Montreal?
TSN hockey insider Pierre LeBrun reported on Feb. 9 that the Canadiens and Evans were far apart on an extension.
“My understanding is Jake Evans and the Canadiens have exchanged numbers on what an extension might look like and they’re not close. Obviously things can change with one phone call, but as of now that makes it more.”
During Tuesday’s early edition of “Insider Trading,” LeBrun doubled down and reported again that the two sides remained at an impasse.
“Yeah, I checked on it today, and what I was told is that its status quo, which is to say that, following up on what I reported on Super Bowl Sunday, on February 9, both sides remain far apart. Neither side has moved.”
LeBrun added that it just takes one phone call to change either side’s stance on a contract. “But as of right now, all signs point towards a trade, and I know that the Habs have talked to teams here over the last few days on that front.”
What are the Canadiens looking for in an Evans trade?
What makes things even more interesting is that the Canadiens have a lot of draft picks already and expect to be in the playoff mix next year. There is no way they are taking on more draft capital. It just does not make sense. So, if they move Evans, it will not be less than a second-round pick.
LeBrun added:
“I don’t think they’re interested in getting a third-round pick or a fourth-round pick for Jake Evans. That doesn’t move the needle for them. They might as well just keep him right and try and stay in a playoff race. They’re on the outside of right now. The odds are very long that they can make it back. But so teams have been told, don’t waste your time.”
The Habs expect that at his price point and production level, Evans will be attractive to contenders who don’t have a lot of cap space. That should warrant Hughes getting a high return. “I think the threshold is a second-round pick at worst for Montreal on a Jake Evans deal. So teams have to step up.”
What about an Evans and Armia package?
The Canadiens have the best penalty-killing unit in the NHL with Jake Evans and Joel Armia. If the return is low for each player, why not package them together and see what the return could be? It is not a bad idea and something the Canadiens might try to do if Evans is not signed before March 7.
“Here’s the other thing, and I’ll give credit to Arpon Basu, my colleague at The Athletic, who also works the TSN Habs broadcast for us at intermission; he came up with this, and I think it’s absolutely legitimate. Could the Habs package Joel Armia and Jake Evans, the two penalty-killing buddies who are both pending UFAs? Could they package them together to augment their trade return? And that is something that I believe the Habs have given some thought to. And so let’s keep an eye on that because that could be something different if both guys get dealt in the same deal. So, food for thought. But as it stands right now, it doesn’t look like Jake Evans will finish the year in Montreal.”
The Canadiens have several players teams will want. With about nine days until the trade deadline, the Montreal Canadiens are a team to watch to see which players get moved and what the returns will be.