Jake Evans

History

2011-12: Jake Evans played five games with the St. Michael’s Buzzers junior A team as a 15-year-old and was the second-leading scorer for the Mississauga Rebels minor midget AAA; which featured four players  later selected in the 2014 NHL Draft, including leading scorer Robby Fabbri (STL). Evans scored 2 goals with 2 assists in five games with the Buzzers. He scored 28 goals and led the Rebels with 57 assists in 56 games, finishing with 16 penalty minutes. The Rebels won the OHL Cup championship and in seven games Evans scored 1 goal with 6 assists and 4 penalty minutes. In April he committed to playing college hockey at Notre Dame in 2014-15. Evans was selected by the Indiana Ice in the third round (35th overall) in the USHL Entry Draft and was taken by Kitchener in the 8th round (147th overall) in the OHL Priiority Draft. 

2012-13: Evans skated for the Ontario Junior Hockey League champion St. Michael’s Buzzers, who came within one game of reaching the 2013 RBC Cup (Canada junior A championship)  — falling to the Minnesota Wilderness, 4-3 in overtime, in the Dudley Hewitt Cup championship game. Evans scored 12 goals with 32 assists and 45 penalty minutes in 50 regular season games. He scored 8 goals with 9 assists and 14 penalty minutes in 24 OJHL playoff games and scored 1 goal with 2 assists in five Dudley Hewitt Cup games. Evans represented Canada East in the 2012 World Junior A Challenge and was scoreless with 10 penalty minutes in five games. 

2013-14: Evans returned to the Buzzers for his second junior A season and again skated for Canada East in World Junior A Challenge. In 49 regular season games for St. Michael’s he scored 16 goals with 47 assists and 79 penalty minutes. Evans had 5 assists and 8 penalty minutes in five playoff games. In four games at the WJAC he scored 1 goal with 1 assist and 2 penalty minutes. Ranked 106th amongst North American skaters in the Central Scouting final rankings he was selected by Montreal in the seventh round (207th overall) in the 2014 NHL Draft. 

2014-15: Evans played right wing for Notre Dame in his freshman season; skating in 40 of 41 games for the Fighting Irish. He scored 7 goals with 10 assists and was +4 with 22 penalty minutes. Notre Dame finished fifth in Hockey East; taking fourth-place Massachusetts-Lowell to three games in the Hockey East quarterfinals before falling 6-4 in the decisive third game and finishing 18-19-5.

2015-16: Evans was the second-leading scorer for the University of Notre Dame behind fellow sophomore Anders Bjork. Skating in all 37 games for the Fighting Irish, he scored 8 goals and led the team with 25 assists, finishing +15 with 29 penalty minutes. Notre Dame finished third in Hockey East behind Boston College and Providence — earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament despite being swept by Northeastern in the Hockey East quarterfinals. The Fighting Irish lost to Michigan, 3-2 in overtime, in the NCAA Midwest Regional semifinals.

Talent Analysis

Evans is a scrappy forward with unique vision and stick-handling ability. He has a hard, accurate wrist shot that he utilizes on the half-wall and his bursts of speed give him ample room to manoeuvre in the offensive zone. Not overly physical, Evans plays a chippy game with his stick, slashing and cross-checking opposing players if pushed.

Future

Evans had a breakout season at the University of Notre Dame in 2015-16 as a sophomore. Leading the Fighting Irish in assists, he was one of the top playmakers in college hockey. He is expected to spend at least one more season in South Bend before turning professional but has opened eyes in his first two seasons. He is still adding the bulk and strength necessary to play at the pro level but Evans has the potential to be an effective second or third line forward.