Jake Evans enters his eighth NHL season with Montreal’s depth center role still central

The Montreal Canadiens are heading into the new NHL season with Jake Evans positioned as a familiar, trusted piece in the organization’s forward group. Evans, now entering his eighth NHL season, figures to have responsibilities that extend beyond a simple depth label, especially as the team’s plans for the near-term future have shifted further away from the timetable originally imagined for prospect Michael Hage.

In a preview of what to expect from Evans this season, Yahoo Sports framed the centerman as a player the Canadiens will “once again” look to in a meaningful way. The context is straightforward, even if the day-to-day details inside a lineup can change: the Canadiens have pushed back the arrival of Hage yet another season, leaving Evans and the rest of the existing NHL core as the more immediate options.

Timing matters in August. As Yahoo Sports noted, the start of the NHL season is 44 days away from the publication date, moving the focus from roster construction at large to how individual roles settle in camp. For Evans, that means the usual challenge for a veteran in a crowded forward market, delivering reliable play at center while fitting into whatever specific mixture the Canadiens prefer for matchups and minutes.

Evans’ value, as characterized in the preview, is tied to steadiness and assignment. Rather than being presented as a single-season breakout candidate, he is framed as a dependable part of the Canadiens’ on-ice decision-making and structure. That expectation is heightened when a prospect arrival is delayed, because it reduces the number of clear “fresh” roster slots the organization can count on immediately.

The Canadiens’ lineup will still have plenty of variation as the calendar moves. Teams test combinations early, they adjust to injuries, and they reorder roles based on training-camp performance. Without official team documentation or transaction specifics in the preview, the most defensible takeaway is role-based: Evans is expected to matter in the Canadiens’ day-to-day plans in 2026-27, not just as a roster filler but as a player management can lean on while waiting for Hage’s eventual step to the NHL.

As the season approaches, the key question for Montreal is how that depth-center responsibility shows up in the broader picture. If Evans’ minutes and usage remain substantial, it reinforces the Canadiens’ intent to prioritize structure and accountability in the lineup. If the team’s forward mix changes quickly in camp, it could shift Evans’ responsibilities, but the preview suggests he remains a significant figure regardless of how the pieces are arranged.