New Maple Leafs Trade Target Comes Straight From Their Most Hated Rival
The Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves in a familiar position which is scouting the trade market for a polyvalent, two-way center ahead of the trade deadline.
While several names have surfaced, a new possibility has surfaced in Jake Evans who are straight from their rival, the Montreal Canadiens.
Jake Evans career year could convince the Montreal Canadiens to trade him
Jake Evans is enjoying a career year by scoring 10 goals and 23 points in 40 games.
With his contract expiring at the end of the season, the pending UFA has drawn interest from several teams, including the New Jersey Devils, who see him as a valuable addition to their lineup.
For Toronto, Jake Evans checks several boxes with his affordable $1.7M cap hit and
aligns with the Leafs' budget.
In addition to the previous point, his ability to contribute offensively while being very good defensively makes him an ideal fit for a playoff run.
However, acquiring Jake Evans won't be that easy for the Leafs since the Canadiens are unlikely to retain him without a contract compromise.
Adding Evans would bring significant value to Toronto's middle six, especially if they cannot land targets like Yanni Gourde, Brock Nelson or former Leaf Ryan O'Reilly.
The Montreal-Toronto rivalry, however, could complicate trade discussions and it remains to be seen whether Kent Hughes would deal Jake Evans to an Atlantic Division rival, especially the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Ultimately, if the Leafs wants Jake Evans, they'll need to act quickly and make a reasonable offer.
The low cost and high upside of this move make it worth exploring, but the clock is ticking since the interest in Evans is only growing in the NHL.
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 10 | 124 ANSWERS New Maple Leafs Trade Target Comes Straight From Their Most Hated Rival Would you trade for Jake Evans if you were the Toronto Maple Leafs? | ||
| Yes | 56 | 45.2 % |
| No | 68 | 54.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
