Canadiens Analysis: Impact Of Jake Evans Contract Extension

Jake Evans isn’t a foundation piece of the lineup, but he does serve a few key roles, connoting that the Habs will not have to scramble to replace his fantastic play on the penalty kill, and his stalwart presence on the fourth line.

That may not seem like an important step, but it allows Hughes and Co. to focus on the bigger picture, rather than scrambling and spending assets to solidify the hole left behind by Evans.

The low cost of the deal also gives the Canadiens plenty of financial flexibility moving forward, especially since the NHL’s salary cap is set for a notable increase in the next five years. Rather than spending an extra million or two on Evans, those funds can be used to convince a top-tier player to join the team, or to secure a player who would otherwise test the open market in free agency.

Impact of Jake Evans Contract On The NHL Trade Deadline

The contract does not contain a no-trade clause (NTC) or a no-movement clause (NMC), which isn’t particularly surprising. Hughes rarely acquiesces to that caveat, with Jake Allen representing the only player who received a modified NTC from Montreal in the last few years.

It’s important to note with the upcoming NHL Trade Deadline, as some may interpret the contract as the first part of a sign-and-trade deal. That is not the case, and given that Evans went out of his way to accept a lower sum from the Canadiens than he would have gotten on the open market, not to mention Hughes’ reputation as a player-friendly general manager, there’s little to no chance Evans will be moved.

Therefore, we can safely say it probably won’t be a very busy trade deadline for the Habs, as they’ve taken their best asset off the market. There’s still a possibility someone such as Joel Armia or David Savard will be moved, but given the recent uptick in results from the Canadiens, not to mention their low value on the trade market, the potential return on such a trade is unlikely to move the needle in the grand scheme of things.

There’s still a chance the Canadiens may use their remaining cap space, roughly $6.6 million, to absorb an expiring contract in exchange for a mid-round pick, and they may even flip the script and acquire some depth reinforcements to improve their odds of qualifying for the playoffs, but a significant trade doesn’t seem to be in the cards.