As you know, the Canadiens will have increased salary cap space in 2025-2026 as some veterans will be hitting free agency. Several contracts will come to an end at the conclusion of this season, including Jake Evans’, who is positioned well to negotiate a favorable deal. He has already achieved seven points this season, and recently, Martin St-Louis has used him as a second-line center. If he continues to excel, it’s clear that Kent Hughes will consider either retaining him or trading him by the deadline. However, Jake Evans’ future with the team may hinge on the performance of one of their prospects.
There’s a condition before considering a trade for Jake Evans. According to TVA Sports reporter Nicolas Cloutier, Kent Hughes wants to evaluate Owen Beck’s abilities before making any decisions about Evans. The Canadiens will likely want to see more of Beck’s performance at the professional level before extending Evans. While it’s valuable to have depth at center, if Evans requests a salary over $3 million, Beck, on his entry-level deal, provides more financial flexibility.
Nicolas Cloutier notes that Beck has performed well in 11 games with the Laval Rocket, scoring 10 points, including three goals. If he is ready to move up to the NHL, he could be a less costly alternative to Evans. Although Evans has been beneficial for the Canadiens this season, it would still be surprising if he was part of their long-term plans.
Beck offers greater offensive upside, though some analysts doubt he will be a future top-six forward in the NHL. This situation will be an intriguing development to monitor in the upcoming months as we see how the Canadiens’ general manager proceeds with Jake Evans.
If you were in Kent Hughes’ position as the Canadiens’ GM, what approach would you take?
