Pats’ Evans excelling since his return from injury
Defenceman shows no signs of rust after two months off nursing fractured ankle
Ryker Evans didn’t waste any time rounding back into form.
The Regina Pats’ defenceman, whose promising rookie season was interrupted by a fractured ankle, basically hit the ground running when he returned to action on Feb. 1 following a two-month absence.
Heading into Friday’s game against the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings, Evans had a goal (his first WHL marker) and a pair of assists in five contests since his return.
“It took him one game to get back to where he was before getting hurt,” Pats head coach Dave Struch said.
“Missing that amount of hockey this year is something that’s unfortunate. He’s going to have to put in a lot of hours in the off-season to get stronger and get faster. The skill, the mobility, the IQ, the courage, he’s already got that. The experience he gains right now and the strength that he gains in his off-season preparation for next year will put him way ahead of the game.”
Evans was hurt on Dec. 1 when he took a hit against the Prince Albert Raiders and landed awkwardly. The 17-year-old Calgary product said there were no lingering effects when he returned to the lineup, other than a sigh of relief.
“It felt good to finally be on the ice,” he said. “It was a long rehab. I got to watch all the games and kind of see what I can improve to make my game a bit better. I wanted to come back with confidence, make sure I was up to speed in the rehab. In the end it worked out. I’m feeling good.”
Evans felt even better after scoring his first WHL goal in his fourth game back. It was the overtime winner in a 3-2 decision over the Red Deer Rebels.
“It feels good to get that first one; those are always the hardest,” he said. “You’re always thinking about it, overthinking things on the ice sometimes. Now I don’t think about that any more. You have a bit more confidence after that so it’s good.”
Despite his two-month hiatus, Evans is enjoying a strong rookie season with seven points in 32 games. His skating and puck-moving abilities are already assets to the Pats, who expect him to develop into a productive offensive defenceman.
“It was my goal since the summer to make this team and, hopefully, be an impact player,” he said. “So far it’s working out pretty good.”
The five-foot-10, 167-pounder is hoping to finish this season strong and build momentum for next fall, when he’s expected to step into an even larger role.
That said, there are still plenty of areas for him to improve.
“You have to be quick out there to play against those top guys,” he said. “I try to work on that all the time. Strength is a big one for me (too). I’ll grow (more) but strength and just working on my shot, those are the two keys.”
By improving his shot, Evans would expand his offensive repertoire and make himself an even bigger weapon — especially with the man advantage.
“He makes great plays on our power play right now; imagine if you add his shot,” Struch said. “He’s going to have to put a lot of time in this summer by strengthening his upper body and by shooting the puck a lot.”