The NHL trade deadline is still months away, but after a frenzy of trade activity to end the calendar year the speculation period is in full swing. Players can find themselves in rumours by many avenues, whether it be contract status, performance, team need, or insider information.
On several fronts, criteria is lining up for Jake Evans to be involved in the discussion. A 28-year-old pending UFA centre, Evans has not been specifically linked to the Leafs, but the potential for a fantastic fit is there. Let’s take a deeper look at what Evans brings to the ice, how that might fit with the Leafs, and if the Montreal Canadiens might be willing to part with the centre at the deadline.
Jake Evans player profile
Evans is not a big player, but is willing to do the defensive dirty work. This season he has held down a middle six centre spot for the Habs, taking on top defensive responsibilities at even strength and on the penalty kill.
Adding to this, Evans is in the midst of a career season from an offensive standpoint. Even with his elevated, and frankly unsustainable shooting percentage, Evans will not challenge for a scoring role on the Leafs.
He might be able to provide an upgrade over David Kampf, for example, and would seem a solid fit for the Leafs third-line centre spot.
Evans is not the fastest skater, but he makes up for that with agility, acceleration, and effort. He does not have the hardest shot, but is able to capitalize off of the chances he gets in close quarters.
A Toronto native, Evans might be interested in playing for the Leafs as a baseline, but having the chance to play on a more competitive team might be a motivation for him in general. His career season is coming at the right time, and the Habs might realize that he could explore free agency this offseason.
Fit with the Leafs
The Leafs are expected to bolster their centre group, looking for someone to anchor the third line. There are certainly bigger names on the market, Brock Nelson, Yanni Gourde, or even Mika Zibanejad, but these players will cost more to acquire and cost more against the cap.
Evans is an affordable and available alternative that could help stabilize the roster at just $1.7M. The biggest worry might be that he is too similar in role to David Kampf, but with Kampf currently elevated in the lineup that might not be a negative. The hope would be for a bit more offensive contributions from Evans, but a role on the penalty kill is a positive.
The Leafs will be looking for a centre who can be trusted in defensive matchups to some extent. Max Domi is an option to fill in as a centre, but lacks the defensive qualities to run with a full-time role as the third-line centre. A more responsible player would be able to help support some of the Leafs more offensively inclined wingers, like Domi or Nicholas Robertson, even if those wingers are not stellar defensively.
Threading the needle between strong defensively and capable offensively is a big ask, but doing so on a budget only makes the target more narrow. Cap space is one thing, where Evans’ lower salary will be appreciated, but acquisition cost is another.
Especially if the Leafs opt to upgrade other areas of their lineup, the resources available to upgrade the centre ice position will have to be budgeted. While Evans may not drastically alter the Leafs results every little bit counts. He would be an affordable addition, one that might work well in tandem with other moves around the trade deadline.
