The Minnesota media are shaking the snowy ground of Montreal by announcing that the Minnesota Wild are currently very aggressive on the trade market, and that they are particularly targeting Jake Evans, the center player of the Montreal Canadiens.
This announcement comes as the team, currently atop the NHL standings, is dealing with major injuries that are affecting its depth at center.
And in a context where the leading teams are looking to strengthen their squad for the playoffs, the Wild seem to have identified Evans as a key piece to solidify their lineup.
The Minnesota Wild recently updated the health status of several key players.
Joel Eriksson Ek, their number one center, was placed on the indefinite injured list with a lower body injury.
Although it has a quality player in Marco Rossi to make up for this absence, depth at center remains an issue for Minnesota.
In the absence of their star player, the team will have to rely on a rotation of centers like Frederick Gaudreau, Marat Khusnutdinov and Ben Jones to pivot the other lines.
It’s clear that GM Bill Guérin wants nothing to do with being so poor at center, which is pushing the Wild to consider solutions on the trade market.
That’s where Jake Evans comes in, whose strong defensive play and playoff experience is attracting the Wild’s attention.
Although Evans is not the number one center, he represents a great addition for a team looking to strengthen its depth at center.
With his defensive skills, ability to play on special teams and playoff experience, Evans could fill a crucial role for Minnesota.
In particular, his key role in the Canadiens’ penalty kill and his defensive reliability make him an excellent choice for a Wild looking to solidify its central line.
In addition, Evans, with his ridiculous $1.7 million contract, would be an interesting addition for a team looking to maximize its playoff chances without affecting its payroll too much.
Eriksson Ek’s injuries, as well as the uncertainty surrounding his team’s ability to perform without him, make the addition of a player like Evans even more relevant.
The Montreal Canadiens are at a strategic turning point regarding Jake Evans. The center player has made himself indispensable, but his contractual situation now poses a dilemma for Kent Hughes and the management of the Canadian.
On one hand, Evans has proven his worth with a solid 12 points in 25 games this season, while filling a key role on the penalty kill.
On the other hand, his salary demand could pose a problem for a rebuilding team like the Canadiens, who are looking to maximize every dollar under the salary cap and provide themselves with a spending cushion to land a star on the agent market. free.
Evans’ agent is asking for a long-term contract in the range of $4 million to $4.5 million per year, a demand that is too high for a player whose role remains limited to that of a depth center, particularly in a lineup who is not yet a championship contender.
Not to mention that Owen Beck will soon be ready for the NHL and has the exact same profile as Evans.
This situation puts Hughes in a difficult position. On the one hand, Evans is a reliable and experienced player who could play an important supporting role in the years to come, especially if the team heads to a more competitive phase.
On the other hand, such a salary demand could dampen the Canadiens’ ambitions to strengthen other aspects of their roster, particularly right-side defense and real offensive talent.
The dilemma for Montreal may not be limited to Evans. As part of a possible transaction with the Wild, a question arises: could the Canadian obtain a prospect like Danila Yurov, a raw talent playing in the KHL, and with very high offensive potential?
This is a prodigy that is worth watching Kent Hughes try everything in the transaction market
Yurov, who had a remarkable season with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, where he recorded 49 points in 62 games last season, is one of the most promising young players in the NHL.
At 20 years old, he shone in the KHL and could be an attractive target for the Canadian. He scored 7 goals and had 7 assists for 14 points in 25 games this season.
Right now, he is considered the Wild’s 5th prospect.
The Wild’s top four “prospects” seem untouchable — namely Liam Öhgren, Marat Khusnutdinov, Jesper Wallstedt, and Zeev Buium.
Yurov’s name could, however, come up in discussions if the Wild are looking to quickly strengthen for the playoffs and Montreal can offer an immediate impact player like Evans, even if Hughes must add something to the mix.
The fact that Yurov promised the Wild he would join the NHL in the summer of 2024 and ultimately signed a one-year contract extension with Metallurg Magnitogorsk adds a risk factor for the Wild, which could make the An attractive trade for them if the team wants to maximize its chances this season.
The risk factor with the Russians is always high. The fact remains that we are talking about an attacker who has talent coming out of his ears.
Although Yurov does not consider himself a close friend of his compatriot Kirill Kaprizov, he seems to have appreciated the latter’s support.
Yurov mentioned that Kaprizov sent him several text messages to help him with his game and his life off the ice.
Although they are not close, this form of mentorship from Kaprizov could play a key role in Yurov’s transition to the NHL, especially in a locker room where he might feel more comfortable with another Russian like Kaprizov to guide him.
But let’s not forget that the CH has a certain Ivan Demidov who will join North America. This is a factor that could be attractive to Yurov.
Selected 24th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft by the Wild, Yurov quickly attracted attention with his exceptional performances.
During the 2023-24 season, the left-handed right winger set a new KHL record for most points in a season by a player under the age of 21, surpassing the previous record held by Vladimir Tarasenko with 47 points. He also has the ability to play in the center.
He added 6 goals and 3 assists for 9 points in 23 playoff games, which contributed to Metallurg Magnitogorsk’s victory in the Gagarin Cup final in April 2024, where the team swept Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in four games
Kent Hughes now faces a difficult decision: invest long-term in a player like Evans, who continues to show his value as Martin St. Louis’ darling, or take the opportunity to trade him when his value is at the top.
Evans’ salary demand is a real problem.
If Minnesota fails to complete a trade for Evans, Guérin could turn to Christian Dvorak, another Canadian center, as plan B.
Dvorak, although having a higher contract than Evans ($4.45 million), could plug a hole, notably his talent in the faceoff circle and his defensive responsibility.
But the CH will receive peanuts in return for the unwanted veteran.
Remember that the New Jersey Devils are also very interested in Jake Evans and also see Dvorak as a plan B.
The Wild appear to be positioning themselves to take advantage of the Canadiens’ current situation and maximize their depth at center for their own playoff goals.
If they can get Evans, they would add a young, reliable role player with plenty of experience who could make a big impact in decisive moments.
The challenge for Wild general manager Bill Guerin lies in managing payroll while looking to add an impact player.
While Evans is an affordable player, injuries that continue to plague players like Jonas Brodin and Mats Zuccarello complicate the situation.
The team will have to juggle its salary cap and depth needs to maximize its chances of adding a reasonably priced player while maintaining financial balance.
The current injury situation within the Minnesota Wild makes the addition of a player like Jake Evans a strategic necessity.
Depth at center, already a weak point before Eriksson-Ek’s injury, is now at the heart of the team’s concerns.
The Wild, which seeks to maintain its leading position, while there is talk of the Stanley Cup in Minnesota, has no choice: Jake Evans becomes a necessity.
If Yurov is available, we’ll do it tomorrow morning.
