Player Discussion Jake Evans (Part II)

[Habs Halifax]

If it comes to that point in negotiations, I’m sure Hughes trades him rather than let him walk, but only if he has no other choice. Losing Evans would kill any chance of them being in the mix this year, so it’s a huge decision. It’s funny because I don’t recall a 4th line centre being so integral to a team’s playoff chances.

We got a little less than 2 months to decide. Lots of hockey to be played and if we are in the mix still near the TDL, we might stay put.

The idea we can get a 1st for Evans is a reach. Possible yes but lets not get emotionally attached to it. Hughes also talked about the amount of picks we got in this next draft. I think there is a chance we can get a late 1st but my gut says two 2nd rounders.

Lets say we get the late 1st. Then I wonder what draft year and what Hughes can pull off on draft day with 3 1st rounders. You know other teams know what we are after and they will be making phone calls offering players that we might not be thinking of today.

 

[Rapala]

No one is going to begrudge Jake Evans if this is his career moment and wants to go to market July 1, that's every player's right.

Including his team mates. We will not lose our room and we will not crater next season.
Jake Evans is not my 3rd line center of the future but he's going to get paid like one.
Wanting him re-signed to push a short term agenda is not the right move. I said before if we can't replace his role we just aren't very good to begin with.

 

[ML16]

If we can get a 1st for Evans, its a no brainer for me. I like the player, but when you already are stuck with Gally and Josh cap hits, why add more salary to your 3rd and 4th lines when you have Beck, Kapinen, Tuch and potentially others ready to join the team on ELCs.

I don’t necessarily agree that a 1st would be a no brainer, especially a late one.

If Evans can be re-signed mid-term (3-5 years) for under 4M - basically an upgrade over Dvorak once gone - it’d be a great stop-gap while Beck, Hage and a potential 2025 C draftee mature. The Habs won’t continue their progression if their bottom-6 C is filled with ELCs only, they’ll need veteran support, especially with Anderson and Gallagher phasing out in the next couple of years.

 

[schwang26]

We got a little less than 2 months to decide. Lots of hockey to be played and if we are in the mix still near the TDL, we might stay put.

The idea we can get a 1st for Evans is a reach. Possible yes but lets not get emotionally attached to it. Hughes also talked about the amount of picks we got in this next draft. I think there is a chance we can get a late 1st but my gut says two 2nd rounders.

Lets say we get the late 1st. Then I wonder what draft year and what Hughes can pull off on draft day with 3 1st rounders. You know other teams know what we are after and they will be making phone calls offering players that we might not be thinking of today.

I don’t think it’s a reach at all for a 1st. I’m sure he’ll get Selke consideration this year. I think he’s the highest scoring 4th line centre in the league, he’s a top PK in the league, wins 50% of faceoffs and forechecks like crazy. Any team in the league would take him. Yes, it would be a late first almost for sure. I think he ends up resigning him though. Unless the bottom drops out before the deadline. Having 3 firsts could mean moving way up in the draft, so there’s that to think about.
I wouldn’t want to be Hughes for the next couple months!

 

[Habs Halifax]

I don’t think it’s a reach at all for a 1st. I’m sure he’ll get Selke consideration this year. I think he’s the highest scoring 4th line centre in the league, he’s a top PK in the league, wins 50% of faceoffs and forechecks like crazy. Any team in the league would take him. Yes, it would be a late first almost for sure. I think he ends up resigning him though. Unless the bottom drops out before the deadline. Having 3 firsts could mean moving way up in the draft, so there’s that to think about.
I wouldn’t want to be Hughes for the next couple months!

I guess that is fair. It is a late 1st. I hate just saying a 1st. Massive difference between a mid round 1st and a late 1st.

I will say 20-40% chance we get the late 1st. It's not very low but not very high either. What needs to happen is 3 or more teams very interested and those teams worried that if they don't get him, a team they face does.

 

[schwang26]

I guess that is fair. It is a late 1st. I hate just saying a 1st. Massive difference between a mid round 1st and a late 1st.

I will say 20-40% chance we get the late 1st. It's not very low but not very high either. What needs to happen is 3 or more teams very interested and those teams worried that if they don't get him, a team they face does.

I think the bottom line is, if they trade Evans, they’re out. There’s no one taking his place this season. He’s way too valuable right now. Even Armia is valuable as crazy as some might call that. I’d honestly resign him at a reasonable price. The guy forchecks and steals pucks like crazy.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I think the bottom line is, if they trade Evans, they’re out. There’s no one taking his place this season. He’s way too valuable right now. Even Armia is valuable as crazy as some might call that. I’d honestly resign him at a reasonable price. The guy forchecks and steals pucks like crazy.

I think most agree with that but I will be like Hughes... lets see how the next 6 weeks look.

 

[LaP]

We got a little less than 2 months to decide. Lots of hockey to be played and if we are in the mix still near the TDL, we might stay put.

The idea we can get a 1st for Evans is a reach. Possible yes but lets not get emotionally attached to it. Hughes also talked about the amount of picks we got in this next draft. I think there is a chance we can get a late 1st but my gut says two 2nd rounders.

Lets say we get the late 1st. Then I wonder what draft year and what Hughes can pull off on draft day with 3 1st rounders. You know other teams know what we are after and they will be making phone calls offering players that we might not be thinking of today.

Having three 1st at the next draft would hold lot of values imo. If a top player 28 or under would become avalaible we would have lot of asstes to give. I'm prettu sure if Evans keep playing like that he returns a first.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Having three 1st at the next draft would hold lot of values imo. If a top player 28 or under would become avalaible we would have lot of asstes to give. I'm prettu sure if Evans keep playing like that he returns a first.

I hope so and it's not a massive reach. Maybe it's a little reach. Hard to know how aggressive teams will be. And I know... Evans does the little things well and his points are higher which makes him more attractive

What is the list of potential centers available? Seems low but I have not dug into it too long. Supply/Demand is how we will get that late 1st.

 

[LaP]

I think most agree with that but I will be like Hughes... lets see how the next 6 weeks look.

Huges will also think about next year. Making the playoffs now just to tank again next year would be pretty pretty pretty pretty bad. Armia wil be 32 next season i don't think Hughes will even think about extending him. Same with Savard. Also i like Evans but if replacing Evans by Beck means we are not a playoffs team then i'm sorry to say but we are simply not a playoffs team to begin with. Again i like Evans but losing a player like him should not have that much impact on a good team. He is a final piece you add to go the full distance (like Lehkonen) not a building block.

 

[JianYang]

It's not just a question of the loss Evans has on us winning games, it's the message being sent to the players in the room. Like if we want to re-sign Laine then we can't throw in the towel like he accused Columbus of too often doing. If we want to sell Hutson on signing a team friendly long term deal it's a tough sell when management doesn't seem to actually be committed to winning. Suzuki has already expressed frustration with all the losing, if he feels the GM essentially sabotages the chances of making the playoffs this year, does that could push him to ask for a trade?

Being a GM is more then just managing assets, it's also very much about managing people, personalities, and egos. So you have to be very careful with trading Evans if the team is still in the mix.

Yes, this aspect does not get talked about enough.

The guys are playing very hard and they are putting up inspiring results. If they continue to stay in the hunt, and then management decides to delete a key player for a magic beans, there's no way the leaders on this team will take kindly to that. And if you lose your leaders, good luck maintaining that culture they keep referring to.

Staying in the hunt certainly makes the decision more complicated IMO.