Evans: Steady progress

LAVAL - After dealing with symptoms related to a concussion, it appears that prospect Jake Evans has hit his stride with the Laval Rocket.

The 22-year-old centerman left Place Bell on September 7th on a stretcher after being hit by Ottawa Senators defenseman Jonathan Aspirot during the annual rookie tournament.
A finalist for the 2018 Hobey Baker Award, which is presented to the top player in the NCAA ranks, Evans is in a groove right now with four goals and seven points in the last seven games.
The Toronto native believes that his recent success is due in part to his head coach, Joël Bouchard.
"One important aspect is that Joël doesn't stop pushing me to always move my feet," explained Evans. "I have to keep working hard and the scoring chances are going to come. That's what I've been doing over the last few games and things are going well."
Evans leads the Rocket with five goals. He has also found the back of the net on 20 percent of his shots.

The young forward is hoping to continue learning while helping his squad win games.
"It's my first year here. I want to focus on what I can bring to the team," mentioned Evans, who has nine points in 15 games. "I just want to keep improving as a player and help our team be successful."
Excellent progress
Proof of Evans' steady progression is the fact that he's centering the Rocket's top line alongside Michael Chaput and Alex Belzile. Bouchard is a big fan of the talented pivot's growth.
"We've seen some real progress since the start as far as his commitment in all three zones is concerned. He's a player with good hockey sense and he takes in a lot of information," noted Bouchard. "He's completely invested. He's a good guy with a good attitude. I don't give him an inch. I'm hard on him and very demanding, but I see the potential."

Does being a late pick in the NHL Draft really determine your fate?
The former University of Notre Dame captain was a seventh-round pick of the Canadiens in 2014. When asked what a seventh-rounder has to do in order to reach the NHL, Bouchard had an interesting response.
"I think draft day is the most overrated day in hockey. I think it can be a source of motivation for some players, like it was for me, but the Draft doesn't really tell you much," affirmed Bouchard. "It's too early. If you look at the past, there have always been surprises, whether in the later rounds or even in the early rounds, where maybe a first-rounder doesn't end up playing in the NHL."

The former defenseman did, however, go on to reveal the magic recipe for making NHL dreams come true.
"It isn't really complicated when you think of it. If you want to become an NHL player, you just have to be good. Be good with and without the puck, be a good citizen, work hard and listen to your coach. If you do that, you'll play 15 years in the League. That's the recipe," explained Bouchard. "Whether you're a seventh-round pick or a first-rounder, you just have to be good. You have to outwork your opponent."
Evans and the Rocket will play host to the Toronto Marlies on Tuesday night at Place Bell.