Dean Evason had incredible regular season numbers in Minnesota but playoff success has been elusive.
With all the talk about the lack of structure that the Ottawa Senators had in their game, the name Dean Evason garnered some traction when the Senators entered the market for a new coach.
Anyone who had seen the Minnesota Wild play could tell they were a team that wasn’t necessarily long on talent. What they were was team that was heavy on structure and qualified for the playoffs three straight seasons while carrying the buyouts of Gary Suter and Zach Parise on their ledger.
Any coach that could average a .660 winning percentage over three seasons with a fairly ordinary roster begs the question, “What could he do with a team that had a framework of an up-and-coming contender?”
After seeing the difference between goalies like Cam Talbot and Filip Gustavsson playing in Minnesota versus in Ottawa, clearly Evason creates a low event game that is goalie-friendly. Even at the age of 39, Marc-Andre Fleury can be effective playing in the Twin Cities.
His resume as a player would command respect with nearly 900 games played in the league. What's even more notable than his over 400 points recorded is a 5-foot-10 forward who amassed over 1100 penalty minutes.
Say what you will, but former players and the way they played the game in the NHL tend to reflect in the teams they coach in the NHL. It’s not a coincidence.
Evason was a gritty, two-way player who played a 200-foot game and was, despite his size, no shrinking violet.
The Senators aren’t the grittiest team in the league, and they still lack the consistency in their game – as evidenced by the number of third period leads (and leads in general) they've surrendered this season.
If it takes a Formula One Driver to win in a Formula One car, one could argue that Evason has yet to be given a Formula One car to drive.
Unlike other coaching resumes Evason will have to compete with, there are no championships to point to at any level, just a lot of very early playoff exits.
Can winning in the AHL/ECHL or even the CHL be overrated? Jon Cooper and Barry Trotz both won championships in minor pro before ascending to the NHL. Evason has delivered good regular season winning percentages in junior, minor pro and the NHL.
Evason has never advanced past round two of the playoffs in any league as a head coach. He has three first round exits with the Wild as his NHL playoff head coaching experience.
The problem doesn’t seem to be getting to the dance, but rather what happens next. Obviously, the interview process will need to understand that in greater depth.
Evason will be 60 years old by the start of next season. It’s a fair question to ask if he can learn something new after coaching for 25 years without a break. How long does Evason want to coach? The Senators aren’t expected to threaten for a Cup next season or maybe even the season after.
At first glance, his resume doesn’t compete with a free agent like Craig Berube. His remuneration expectations likely won’t compete with Berube’s either.
It really is all about the fit between what a team needs and what a coach brings. Evason would need to sell himself and his ability to implement structure. It needs to be clear how he will not only impact the wins and losses columns, but also the kind of identity Evason would want to create.
Evason’s style of play as a player and as a head coach seems to address some gaps in the Senators game. There is plenty of reason to have dialogue with him. That said, can Evason get that out this lineup? He may look like a great fit for players like Brady Tkachuk and Shane Pinto. Would players with weaker defensive resumes like Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson constantly find themselves in his doghouse?
Evason is a Boomer and most of the league is Gen Z. Is that a fit? Only one way to find out.