Jake Evans scored the game-winning goal with 2:15 remaining in regulation to lift the Montreal Canadiens past the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Let’s talk about the trade market. The Jake Evans file is probably the most important for Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton. After all, he is the best player of the CH this season among the unrestricted free agents of the club for the summer of 2025.

Since the beginning of the season, we have been singing the praises of Jake Evans. And for good reason. Clearly, the center player for the Canadiens has chosen the right season (a few months before full autonomy) to reach another level as a player for the Canadiens.

The Montreal Canadiens face a difficult decision regarding forward Jake Evans, with conflicting reports adding intrigue to his future ahead of the March 7 trade deadline. NHL insider Pierre LeBrun revealed Wednesday that Montreal is interested in keeping Evans but isn’t committing to a long-term deal,

At 28 years old, Jake Evans is having the best season of his career. He is on pace for over 45 points, and it is also the last year of his contract with the Canadiens. Now, Kent Hughes has to make an important decision regarding his center.

Jake Evans has been producing at an impressive pace since the start of the season. With his 23 points, the center is the fourth leading scorer for the Canadiens behind Lane Hutson, Cole Caufield, and Nick Suzuki.

Evans produced an assist in Sunday's 5-4 overtime win over the Rangers.

Montreal Canadiens forward Jake Evans is in an excellent position from a career standpoint. Not only is he a versatile, hard-working centre, he’s also in the midst of his most productive season, quite the blessing for an impending free agent.

And then there was the play of goalie Sam Montembeault. Montembeault denied numerous Grade-A scoring chances to keep the Lightning stuck at two goals. In the third period alone, he stopped 14 shots. His play neutralized the Lightning’s territorial edge.

Paul buried a shot-pass by Brandon Hagel near the net on the power play to make it 4-3 less than two minutes after Knies’ second goal. Tampa Bay forward Brayden Point appeared to tie the game late with a backhand shot that hit the crossbar, but the puck bounced through the crease without crossing the goal line.

Montreal fights back from a 2-0 deficit Tuesday night at the Bell Centre and now occupies the second wild-card spot in the Eastern standings.