Habs, Evans continue to talk extension amid trade interest
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The Montreal Canadiens and pending unrestricted free agent Jake Evans continue to have progressive contract extension talks, according to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger.
This comes amid serious trade interest in Evans leading up to Friday's trade deadline and as Dreger reports, an extension cannot be ruled out.
TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reported over the weekend that the Habs were getting calls on the 28-year-old forward, who is in the final year of a three-year, $5.1 million deal that pays him $1.7 million annually.
"As mentioned before, Habs have told teams they are okay keeping Evans if asking price isn't met. Could go either way," LeBrun wrote Sunday afternoon in a post on X.
LeBrun also noted Sunday that Montreal's post 4 Nations Face-Off resurgence could also be a factor in general manager Kent Hughes' decision to hold onto to or trade Evans. The Habs enter play Tuesday at 30-26-5 for 65 points, just one point back of the Eastern Conference's final wild-card spot. They picked up a 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres Monday night.
“It’s not gonna be easy, but we believe in here. It’s definitely (possible). What are we, one point back?” forward Brendan Gallagher said after the win. “We play good hockey, we take care of our own business, we believe that at the end of the year we’ll be where we want to be.”
A seventh-round pick in 2014, Evans is in his sixth season with the Canadiens after originally debuting with the team during the 2019-20 season. He has 39 goals and 81 assists for 120 points in 329 career regular season NHL games.