Evans is working hard to improve
Seventh-round pick Evans listening to Laval coach and working hard to improve
This was Jake Evans’ baptism to life as a hockey pro — in the opening game of September’s NHL rookie showdown, he was removed from the ice on a stretcher, his head hitting the ice after catching an errant high-stick from an Ottawa defenceman. While Evans was released from a hospital that night, the 22-yearold suffered the first concussion of his career. “I remember the play leading up to it. I was kind of out of it for a while, but once I got to the hospital, things started coming back,” Evans recounted on Monday. “I was surprised how good I felt after. It was a tough few days, but then the symptoms went away. “It was a tough way to start my pro career, that whole incident.” Things have drastically improved for the Toronto native since. A seventh-round (207th overall) Canadiens draft choice in 2014, Evans is making a name for himself with the Laval Rocket, Montreal’s American Hockey League affiliate. Through 15 games, the six-footone, 186-pound centre has five goals — on a modest 25 shots — and nine points. He has two game-winning goals, adding another in overtime. He scored two Friday, on the road in Cleveland, during the Rocket’s convincing 5-1 victory. “For a guy who got to rookie camp and got hit pretty hard with a concussion ... he’s been buying in and really investing in what needs to be done in his game to become an NHL player,” Rocket head coach Joël Bouchard said. “I’m not giving him an inch. If you ask him, he’s going to tell you. I’m over him, under him and through him. “The pace is getting better in his game. He’s got talent and hockey sense, but so do a lot of players in the NHL. You have to make sure your game’s well surrounded. His defensive game’s improving. It’s give and take. He’s investing, so he’s getting ice time and opportunity.” After graduating from St. Michael’s College in Toronto, Evans took the NCAA route instead of playing major-junior in Ontario. He was only five-foot-11 and 150 pounds at the time, and believed he would better develop attending a U.S. college, where fewer games are played and more emphasis is placed on practice. Four years later, not only did Evans graduate from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in business, he proved to be one of the Fighting Irish’s more reliable players. In 40 games last season, he led the team in assists (33) and points (46), both career highs. The school finished first in the Big 10 and Evans was named to the first all-star team. He caught the eye of Canadian hockey officials, who named him to the national team for the Spengler Cup in Switzerland. Canada won the tournament. “It was amazing,” Evans said. “Going into the year in college, I knew there might be a small chance. Getting the chance to play with pros while you’re still in college is great. I think it helped my transition out. You learn how to be a pro before you have to make that jump.” Evans considers himself competent at both ends of the rink and relishes taking key faceoffs late in games. He’s also an intelligent player who quickly picks things up. He retains the youthful exuberance of a rookie, even though being a late-round draft pick potentially makes the road to the NHL more arduous. “There’s obviously a lot more hype when you’re a higher pick,” he acknowledged. “I just had to go in with that mindset after I was drafted (that) it’s an even playing field now. You definitely have to earn your spot. “Obviously, I was happy just to be picked but, right after, it was my goal to make the Montreal Canadiens.” Bouchard said the odds might not be as daunting as they appear. He said, other than the handful of exceptional players who go directly to the NHL, the remainder have an equal opportunity because most are so young when they’re selected and have yet to fully develop and mature. Bouchard said the draft is the most overrated day in hockey. “The draft, for me, means nothing,” he said. “You want to become an NHL player? Be good with and without the puck. Be a hard-working guy, listen to the coaches and you’ll play 15 years. That’s the recipe. Check your box in the morning, take care of yourself, be fit and play hard without the puck. When you have the puck, make the best decision you can. “If you’re dependable, you’re going to get the pat on the back. You’ll get a roster spot. The NHL looks for good players. Seventh-round, third-round, invite, free agent ... be good. It’s a business of being good. Then the coach has confidence to put you on the ice.” For Evans, that means adjusting to the pace of the AHL game, which is faster than college, while coping with the potential of playing twice as many games and managing his time and routine away from the rink. “He’s really receptive and has a great attitude,” Bouchard said. “I’m tough and demanding on him. He buys in and has been great.”