Story Summary
Jake Evans is set to experience NHL outdoor hockey for the first time when the Montreal Canadiens face the Winnipeg Jets in the Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at Winnipeg’s Princess Auto Stadium on Sunday.
The Canadiens forward has played outdoors before, recalling a Junior A game in Buffalo during his Ontario Junior Hockey League days, but says he has few memories of that occasion beyond enjoying it. This will be a markedly bigger setting, with Evans expecting a loud stadium and a crowd roughly double the size Montreal are accustomed to playing before.
For Evans, the occasion carries both the appeal of an unusual NHL experience and the familiar importance of two standings points. He says Montreal’s season has been uneven so far, while adding that the group feels good about its game and needs to put its play together more consistently.
Key Facts
- Jake Evans will make his first NHL outdoor appearance when Montreal play Winnipeg in the Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic on Sunday.
- The Heritage Classic will be played at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg, with the scheduled start listed as 7 p.m. ET.
- Evans previously played an outdoor Junior A game in Buffalo while competing in the Ontario Junior Hockey League.
- Evans expects the Heritage Classic crowd to be about twice the size of those Montreal usually play in front of.
- The Canadiens forward said a pre-game skate should help players adjust to the outdoor setting.
- Evans said Montreal’s season has been up and down, but that the team feels good about how it plays and must put its game together.
IHM Discussion
Outdoor games invite players and supporters to enjoy details that do not exist on a normal NHL night: the scale of the building, the weather, the open air and the unusual sightlines. Evans clearly values that side of the Heritage Classic, having watched Winter Classics and Stadium Series games while growing up.
Yet his account also shows how quickly the focus changes once preparations begin. The quick skate is a practical chance to become familiar with the rink, while the opening minutes demand an immediate read on how the puck is behaving. Evans did not present the event as a break from the season; he framed it as a game Montreal want to remember positively because they have won it.
That balance matters in the current context. Evans said the Canadiens have not yet consistently assembled the standard of hockey they believe they can produce. A road trip and a major event can narrow attention around the next game, but the task he identifies remains straightforward: execute better on the ice.
Why It Matters
The Heritage Classic offers Montreal a high-profile game against a divisional opponent, but Evans’ emphasis is on substance rather than ceremony. The Canadiens are seeking the same two points available in any regular-season fixture, even if the setting makes the game feel more significant.
His comments also underline the adjustment required of players who have spent most of their careers indoors. Ice conditions cannot be controlled entirely, and an outdoor rink may require quicker decisions and cleaner early puck management. Montreal will have the chance to enjoy the occasion, but Evans expects the competitive edge to take over once the puck drops.
Mini Q&A
Has Jake Evans played an NHL outdoor game before?
No. The Heritage Classic against Winnipeg will be Evans’ first NHL outdoor game.
What experience does Evans have of outdoor hockey?
Evans previously played an outdoor Junior A game in Buffalo during his time in the Ontario Junior Hockey League, although he says he remembers little beyond enjoying the experience.
What does Evans expect from the outdoor conditions?
He expects the players to adjust quickly, particularly at the start, because the ice may play differently despite the preparation put into it.
Coach Mark Comment
Evans’ memory of his earlier outdoor game is strikingly modest: he recalls Buffalo, a minor-league stadium and that it was fun, but little else. That makes this first NHL outdoor appearance genuinely new rather than another item on a familiar schedule.
The useful part of his approach is not trying to make the surroundings disappear before the game begins. The players have their skate, they take in the building, and then they must recognise what the ice asks of them. A player who can enjoy the scale of the day without carrying it into every touch gives himself a better chance to remember the hockey as clearly as the occasion.
What Comes Next
Montreal and Winnipeg are scheduled to meet in the Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at Princess Auto Stadium on Sunday.
IHM Final View
Jake Evans is approaching the Heritage Classic with the excitement expected of a player reaching a long-held NHL experience for the first time. His focus remains grounded in the contest itself: adapt to the outdoor conditions, simplify where necessary and give Montreal a result to accompany the occasion.