NHL Trade Deadline

Canadiens Driving Hard Bargain on Devils Trade Target | Report

According to a recent report, Jake Evans – who the Devils have shown interest in – could be hard to pry from the Canadiens.

Published

2 months ago

February 25, 2025

James Nichols

New Jersey Devils' Tomas Tatar (90) and Montreal Canadiens' Jake Evans (71) vie for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

The 2025 NHL Trade Deadline is only 10 days away. The New Jersey Devils remain buyers, however, the market has been held up ever since the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament paused the NHL schedule, contrary to the belief that it was going to bring more action. With time winding down, there is only so much time for teams to make deals. Linked to one of the forwards up north, the Montreal Canadiens are driving a hard bargain on a Devils trade target.

The Devils have needed depth scoring for quite some time now, and more specifically, are interested in acquiring a center. Down the middle, the likes of Erik Haula and Curtis Lazar aren’t providing at their usual rates on the scoresheet. Paired with inconsistencies from their wingers, New Jersey is certainly in need of a jolt in the bottom-six.

It’s been well documented by now that the Devils are interested in pending Canadiens free agent Jake Evans.

Up to this point, the Canadiens’ priority has been to sign Evans to an extension. However, according to Pierre LeBrun via the latest TSN Insider Trading report, an extension—as things currently stand—seems unlikely.

“Following up on what I reported on Super Bowl Sunday, on February 9th, both sides remain far apart. Neither side has moved,” LeBrun explained on Tuesday. “There has not been any progress since then, so they are exactly where they were a couple of weeks ago, just before the 4 Nations break. Which, again, just leads to more speculation that the Habs will end up moving Jake Evans, who is a pending UFA, before the March 7 trade deadline.”

“As of right now, all signs point towards a trade, and I know that the Habs have talked to teams here over the last few days on that front.”

That might sound like good news for the Devils who would like to add Evans. However, the Eastern Conference is by no means decided. The Habs remain just five points out of the wild card. Evans is a player who can help Montreal back into the playoffs.

Therefore, Montreal seems content with just keeping Evans if they don’t see a price point in which they’d be happy to part with him.

That’s because Evans comes at a relatively cheap cost at $1.7M. According to LeBrun, the bidding starts at a second round pick, which the Devils have three of in 2025, including their own.

However, they don’t have a first round pick, and are believed to also be in the market for a top-six scorer.

There’s only so many assets to move.

“I don’t think they’re interested in getting a third round pick or a fourth round pick for Jake Evans. That doesn’t move the needle for them,” LeBrun continued. “They might as well just keep him and try to stay in a playoff race, which they’re on the outside of right now. The odds are very long that they can make it back. So teams have been told, ‘Don’t waste your time.’ I mean, he makes $1.7 million on the cap, which is really attractive to contenders who don’t have a lot of cap space. I think the low bar, I think the threshold, is a second round pick at worst for Montreal on a Jake Evans deal. So teams have to step up.”

There is one idea that could justify general manager Tom Fitzgerald offering more in a Devils trade. Joel Armia is another Canadiens pending unrestricted free agent. He’s older than Evans, and certainly costs more at a $3.4 million cap hit, but kills penalties alongside Evans, and could add depth scoring with a 15-goal career average per season.

It might take away the Devils’ ability to make a bigger move for a top-six forward. But, it is an idea.

“Could the Habs package Joel Armia and Jake Evans, the two penalty killing buddies who are both pending UFAs? Could they package them together to augment their trade return? That is something that I believe the haves have given some thought to. So let’s keep an eye on that. That could be something different, if both guys get dealt in the same deal. So food for thought. But as it stands right now it doesn’t look like, you know, Jake Evans will finish the year at Montreal.”

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