Devils' Top Trade Target Is Officially Off The Board
The New Jersey Devils were one of the main suitors for Montreal Canadiens forward Jake Evans. However, the Devils' hope of acquiring the former top trade candidate can now be forgotten.
With the trade deadline just about here, Evans has signed a four-year, $11.4 million contract. With this, the 201`4 seventh-round pick is officially off the board.
Evans's no longer availability is tough news for the Devils. They have been on the hunt for help down the middle in their bottom six, and Evans would have given them that. However, he is instead staying put in Montreal as they look to sneak into the playoffs.
If the Devils had acquired Evans, he could have given them a much-needed upgrade at their third-line center spot. Furthermore, because of his strong defensive play, he would have been an obvious choice for their penalty kill. However, the Devils will now need to explore center options elsewhere.
Evans, 28, has appeared in 61 games this season with the Canadiens, where he has 12 goals, 28 points, and a plus-1 rating. Adding that kind of secondary offensive production would have been nice for the Devils.
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