There's been a lot of talk lately about Jake Evans and according to TVA Sports' Renaud Lavoie, there's still hope for a contract extension.

TSN Insider Pierre LeBrun reported last weekend that the Montreal Canadiens and the Jake Evans camp had exchanged numbers and they were vastly different. In his post game interview on Sunday, Evans said it had been an honour to be a Canadiens and everyone noticed the verb tense he used. 

However, TVA Sports' Renaud Lavoie mentions that according to his contacts, there's still a real possibility that the center could sign with the Bleu, Blanc, Rouge. The reporter adds it's normal that both parties have a stare down and try to see who will blink first. 

Lavoie doesn't guarantee they will manage to reach a deal, but he just doesn't believe all hope is lost. Evans is having a career year so far and it's believed Kent Hughes is asking for a second-round pick in return for the versatile pivot. 

We've seen Evans play up and down the lineup this season, be a leading force on the penalty kill and pivot the most efficient forecheck line. There's no denying he's having a career year, not just from a production standpoint, but in all aspects of his play.

In the last year of a contract with a $1.7 M cap hit, Evans is a real bargain this season, not only for the Canadiens, but also for any contender looking to shore up its bottom-six for a deep playoffs run. 

His play largely warrants a raise but the question is how much should his new contract be worth and how many years should it be for? Evans is already 28 and by the time the Canadiens are considered serious contenders, his best years will be behind him. 

If he's asking for too much and Hughes cannot bridge the gap and trades him, you can expect to see a lot more of Owen Beck this season in Montreal. The youngster earned himself an audition at centre this weekend and didn't look out of place at all. 

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