Josh Evaschesen Commits to RPI
The '06 recruit from the WHL is a big-time recruiting win for the Engineers
We broke the news of a flurry of commitments a few weeks back, and you could certainly argue that Josh Evaschesen, the youngest of the crop, has the highest upside of them all. Evaschesen is an August ‘06 birth year and producing at a point-per-game pace in the competitive Western Hockey League as a rookie. Evaschesen played in Trail last year with Engineer defenseman Lucas Lemieux before making the jump to major junior. He brings an exciting combination of intelligence, size, and skill to the table that makes him an incredibly projectable forward for RPI. It shouldn’t be understated that RPI’s reach into western Canada for Evaschesen, Burzynski, and Lodewyk shows the adaptability and far-reaching recruiting strategy being deployed. Let’s break down Josh’s game and where he fits into the puzzle going forward.
Playmaker and Scorer
Josh brings a strong, all-around offensive game to the table and has the ability to bury scoring chances and also create for his teammates. He has played in the top-6 and on the top PP unit all season long for Kamloops, who have been one of the better teams in the WHL this year. He has consistently been touted for his vision and playmaking ability, which have been on full display this season. The IQ is something you’ll come to realize is a calling card for Evaschesen’s game.
He has a very quick release and doesn’t need much space to get his shot off in the tape I have seen of him. He’s on pace for almost 30 goals in the WHL this year and over a point per game pace, which is quite the uptick from what he produced in the BCHL last year. He is getting the chance to play for a Kamloops team with elite talent, including future 1st round pick JP Hurlbert. He doesn’t turn 20 until August, clearly indicating there is more scoring potential in there to be unlocked.
Dependable Two-Way Game
Evaschesen has flexibility between left wing and center and is described as a very responsible player in his own end. Josh constantly pursues loose pucks and wins battles along the boards to help his team gain possession of the puck. He is responsible and physical, with above average size and a willingness to play a 200-foot game. Our first instincts when looking at a prospect are to check the stat sheets and highlight reels, but seeing a player with a high IQ and all-around game is much more important. I think Evaschesen is just that, and projects as a very well-rounded, high-level scorer at RPI. Reports say the only real dimension missing from his game is high-end speed, but he makes up for this with size and IQ.
Big Picture
So where does this commitment fit into the roster puzzle and what does it mean for the big picture of the program?
First things first, I would note that Josh is a younger commit but probably still arrives at RPI this fall. For recruits like this, they typically possess higher upside but can have an adjustment period. Josh is getting better rapidly, as you can see his numbers in the WHL are way better than in the BCHL, which is an easier league. This is indicative of his quick ascension and gets me excited that he can hit the ground running at RPI.
Second, it’s a big deal to see Lang & Schneider scoring these recruiting wins in Western Canada. Early on in these rebuilds, momentum is king and a big part of that is recruiting. Once a couple kids make the jump and commit, it often comes in waves. Stick taps to those guys for their hard work on the last few commitments, nabbing some guys we are very excited to see suit up for the Engineers.
I see Josh enrolling at RPI this fall (although they could delay a year) and fighting for middle 6 minutes at left wing to start. He should have the upside to be a top 6 staple as soon as his sophomore year, and like Tyler Wallace I expect you’ll see him go between LW and C. This is a big commitment for RPI and I can’t wait to see Josh join the program. Let’s go red!