June 9: Ducharme announced today that Evans has resumed off-ice training, though there is still no timeline for his return to the Montreal lineup.
June 3: After being stretchered off the ice last night following a hit from Mark Scheifele, Jake Evans will be out indefinitely with a concussion. The Montreal Canadiens forward was knocked out as he scored the game-clinching empty-net goal, and laid on the ice as a scrum ensued around him. Scheifele has a hearing today with the Department of Player Safety, while Evans is now out dealing with a head injury.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time that Evans has laid on the ice unconscious. In 2018 at the Canadiens prospect tournament, Evans was upended by Ottawa Senators defenseman Jonathan Aspirot and as he fell, hit his head hard on the ice. He was stretchered off in that incident as well, going to the hospital before being placed in the concussion protocol.
Speaking with the media today, head coach Dominique Ducharme explained that Evans is doing better and did not need to go to the hospital last night following an evaluation from team doctors. He did suffer a concussion though and will be out indefinitely.
“…did not need to go to the hospital…” – that is worrying about the competence of the team doctors. I listened to Dan & Sergio on that call, then watched the replay. No way he should have not been hospitalized, at least for overnight observation. He was out cold by the time he hit the ice.
Given Manitoba’s COVID issues and team and league protocols, the best prospects for him were probably to be kept under observation by Montreal’s medical team.
@Mark Black – Good point. They all aren’t quite back to full normal yet, and being in one of their hospitals might have been riskier (for COVID exposure).
I wouldn’t have a problem with Scheifele putting a shoulder into a guys chest, but why he felt the need to go the next level WWE like that I’m not sure. He put his team in a bind now by no doubt getting suspended for that. Not smart.
@Gbear – Do you think Scheifele mistook Evans for Patrik Stefan? Maybe he expected Evans to miss the ENG and just hand it over for WPG to tie the game. Many are suggesting that a sizeable amount of blame should be on Evans for having his head down, but I saw Scheifele had a reasonable opportunity to peel off, with maybe only, at most, a glancing blow. He chose otherwise, as we have all seen.
Part of me thinks that Scheifele has thought that ever since Coach Mo called him out for not competing hard enough that he now has to try to do too much. Maybe trying to prove himself to the coach. He’s never been a dirty player. Maybe, like Foligno trying to prove himself by fighting Perry after the Taveras incident, he went out of character and did a dumb thing.
@Gbear – I was thinking much the same, myself. That, and carrying over a grudge from being robbed of the playoffs last year with that stupid entanglement with Matthew K.
??? WTF! Make that Matthew T.! Holy shirt!
@Mac- No worries, the T is silent anyway. :D
Scheifele is not a dirty player … but he used bad judgement. I am a huge Habs fan and Evans should have had his up – hope he’s ok.
Scheifele is likely out a few games, but one of the players has already said they will get revenge. So this could get even uglier than the hit.
*one of the Canadiens players
@windycitykid89 – That would be Joel Edmundson, followed by Ducharme’s “…but within the context of the rule book…” add-on later.
Yes exactly, Mac. But if this series goes 6 games, Schiefele is going to be heavily hunted on the ice
I have no skin in this game so here’s my unbias opinion; nothing about this seemed malicious. Scheifele was clearly back checking to stop Evans from scoring. Evans came around the net with his head down, and Scheifele had a split second to decide between playing the body or poke check. Scheifele clearly choose the physical play but it was a clean check though back luck that Evans is shorter and had his head down. He even glided into into the check (yes, after going hard all the way back – hence the charging call) and he lean with his shoulder and kept his elbow tucked. Bad luck for Scheifele on a pure hustle play. Sucks for Evans obviously. Scheifele will likely get a one game sussy; especially with the NHL getting heat for giving guys like Tom Wilson a slap on the wrist for more malicious plays.
Problem is, Scheifele launched into the hit, which is why he left his feet during the contact. It wasn’t that he delivered a hit in that situation but that it was over the top.
Nothing malicious? He didn’t stop skating my man!! He skated right from the other end of the rink and launched into the hit. Maybe in the old NHL this kinda thing was cool but concussion problems are serious and we now know how serious they are. Scheifele, malicious or not, could’ve avoided the full on check. I get it, it’s playoffs but it was a dangerous hit. Yes Evans should’ve had his head up, but these kids are bigger, stronger and faster than ever before and at some point during the 200ft Mark was back checking he decided Evans was the target and he didn’t relent.
Not a fan of their team but that was a dirty hit, extended his elbow to the head and left his feet not sure how you can it was clean. Watch the replay nothing clean about it.
I wonder if Mark is gonna come out of this as a Wilson or a Kadri
@backhandinbaptist – Neither – a combo of Scotty Stevens and Dale Hunter… Scott Hunter! “I don’t hunt for food, I just HUNT!”
$5,000 fine from the Department of Player Safety forthcoming, or will there be an actual punishment?
It was Jake Evans’ birthday too