Pats’ Evans ready to get Kraken on pro career

For the second time in as many weeks, one of the Regina Pats’ graduating players has signed a pro contract.

The NHL’s Seattle Kraken announced Friday they had agreed to terms with 20-year-old defenceman Ryker Evans on a three-year entry-level contract.

On April 7, the San Diego Gulls — the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks — signed 20-year-old forward Logan Nijhoff, who was the Pats’ captain during the 2021-22 WHL season.

Evans was selected by Seattle in the second round (35th overall) of the 2021 NHL entry draft.

“My goal has always been to play in the NHL,” Evans said in a release. “It (has been) imprinted into my mind for the longest time. There was no way anyone was going to talk me out of it.”

The product of Calgary had 61 points, including 14 goals, in 63 games with the Pats this season. He finished fifth among WHL defencemen in power-play assists (24), seventh in points and eighth in assists.

He was named the Pats’ top defenceman for a third straight season and, on Thursday, was named a second-team WHL all-star.

Evans is to join the Kraken’s AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, for the Calder Cup playoffs.

“It will be really fun to practise with the team and hopefully to get some game action,” Evans said. “The AHL is obviously faster and everybody knows their job. It’s simpler in that teammates are in the right place at the right time.”