Canadiens confirm Jake Evans will miss multiple weeks after injury against Penguins

Last Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Evans left the game after 1:57 of ice time. The organization later confirmed a lower-body injury.

The 29-year-old center did not return, and Montreal had to finish the game without him. Montreal still recorded a 4-0 win, but the atmosphere changed as soon as he exited.

Before this announcement, he had posted 5 goals and 10 points in 34 games this season. His total includes one shorthanded goal, and his plus-minus sits at minus-13. In the faceoff circle, he is operating at 54.1%, with an average of 15:12 of ice time.

Here is the official confirmation:

In March, the Canadiens gave him a four-year contract extension, from 2025-2026 to 2028-2029. The deal carries an average annual value of $2.85 million, a significant jump from $1.7 million per year. In 2024-2025, Evans collected 36 points in 82 games, and he is already nearing half of that total.

With this contract, the club can afford to be patient with his return, without rushing him.

Without him, Martin St-Louis will have to adjust his group of centers behind Nick Suzuki and Oliver Kapanen. Christian Dvorak, Alex Newhook, Owen Beck, and Joe Veleno are already in the mix to fill minutes.

Owen Beck already has 9 games under his belt, and Jared Davidson has 10, which provides options. After 37 games, Suzuki leads Montreal with 42 points, and Cole Caufield already has 18 goals.

The schedule over the next few weeks will therefore be played without No. 71, and that's bad news. A 4- to 6-week absence inevitably pushes a recall into view.

The Canadiens did not give an exact return date, but the announced timeline speaks loud and clear. For now, the only thing that's certain is that the CH has just lost an important piece.