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Evans: It would take at least a second-round pick to get him out of Montreal, says Pierre LeBrun
Marc-Olivier Cook
Evans: It would take at least a second-round pick to get him out of Montreal, says Pierre LeBrun
Credit: Getty Images
Two weeks ago, no one could guess Kent Hughes’ plan leading up to the NHL trade deadline.

But things are different now as I write these lines.

Why? Because, well… The Canadiens are no longer winning. The team has lost six of its last seven games and is falling out of the race for a playoff spot.

At this moment, we know that the Canadiens’ GM would like to add a young player to his roster within a month.

But on the other hand, we don’t know if Hughes will want to trade some of his players at the deadline.

On that subject, Jake Evans’ name is popular in rumors because he has an advantageous salary ($1.7M) and possesses the qualities to help a team that wants to make a playoff run.

However, the Canadiens will not let him go for nothing: Pierre LeBrun, in the recent episode of Radar, insists that he doesn’t see the Canadiens trading Evans unless it’s for a second-round pick (or better).

And even then, the informant is reluctant because the Canadiens already have several quality picks.

LeBrun also specified that the Canadiens will not trade Evans for a prospect.

Kent Hughes will have no choice but to call other teams if Evans has not signed a new contract by March 7.

The Canadiens’ GM might risk keeping him in mind to offer him a new contract this summer. But if Evans decides to test the market and the Canadiens lose his services for nothing, Hughes will regret it.

Since we’re at it, he might as well send him elsewhere to get something in return…

Let’s remember that the Canadiens were offered a second-round pick for Evans in the last draft and they declined the offer.

That said, I don’t see why Hughes would choose to trade him for a second-round pick, especially with the season Evans is having… Unless he is convinced that Evans will leave via free agency in a few months.

That would be illogical, at least…

All this to say that there is one month left before the NHL trade deadline and Jake Evans’ name continues to draw attention.

The noise is likely to amplify before March 7, that being said!


In Brief

— Marcus Pettersson is already highly regarded in Vancouver.

— The Canadiens are no longer there…

— Another matter in the Bregman case.

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