Gage Evans back in LaSalle

By Randy Russon
July 27, 2025
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Sault Ste. Marie product Gage Evans has been reacquired by the LaSalle Vipers of the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League from the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.

A towering defenseman at 6 foot 4, 190 pounds, Evans played in 47 games for the Thunderbirds in ’24-25 as the captain of his hometown NOJHL team. A stay at home defender, Evans did produce two goals, nine assists, 11 points.

Evans was a 14th round pick by the Windsor Spitfires at the 2022 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft from the Soo Under 18 Jr. Greyhounds of the Northern Ontario Hockey Association’s Great North League. He first moved to Windsor for the ’22-23 season to play for the U18 Jr. Spitfires of the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario.

In ’23-24 Evans then moved up to the junior level with LaSalle — which is a bedroom community in the City of Windsor and is part of Essex County — and played in 57 games for the Vipers, scoring five goals, 14 assists, 19 points.

Now, after playing in the NOJHL for the Soo in ’24-25, Evans returns to LaSalle for the ’25-26 campaign.

Evans will also attend his fourth OHL camp with the Spitfires ahead of the ’25-26 season. He looms as defensive insurance for the Spitfires and because of the new eligibility rules that the National Collegiate Athletic Association has put into effect, Evans could play games in the OHL with Windsor and still eventually go to an NCAA school.

To be sure, the OHL Spitfires are set up rather well on the blue line, though over the course of a long, gruelling season, Evans — who has a 2006 birth date — could well be of value to Windsor in ’25-26.

Windsor’s d-man depth chart of the eight blue liners who figure to be on the season opening roster for head coach Greg Walters and the Spitfires includes Wyatt Kennedy, Anthony Cristoforo, Conor Walton, Carson Woodall, Jonathan Brown, Carter Hicks, Andrew Robinson and Grady Spicer.

Kennedy, who will be an overage with a 2005 birth date, is the most experienced of the brigade. Cristoforo, Walton and Woodall all have 2006 birth dates. Brown was born in 2007 while Hicks, Robinson and Spicer were all born in 2008.

All except Brown, who was an off season signing from American prep school Shattuck St. Mary’s, have OHL experience.

Regular season and playoffs included, Kennedy has the most games played among the group of eight wth 238. Cristoforo is next with 209 followed by Walton with 146 and Woodall with 134. The other three all saw action as rookies in ’24-25 led by Hicks with 64 games played, Robinson with 16 and Spicer with six.