Mobile defenseman Evan Nause was selected by the Florida Panthers in the second round (56th overall) of the virtual 2021 NHL Entry Draft after completing his first season with the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL.
During his draft year, Nause produced four goals and 18 assists and appeared in all 32 of Quebec’s pandemic-shortened regular season games after joining the Remparts after he was selected fifth overall by the team in the 2020 QMJHL Draft.
Interestingly, he was chosen by the Val-d’Or Foreurs a year prior. Instead of joining the Foreurs, he decided to spend the 2019-20 season with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede, keeping his options open while sorting out his development path, eventually deciding to forego the chance at NCAA hockey and re-entered the draft he next time around.
Nause played in all six of Quebec’s 2021 postseason games and produced a goal and an assist as the Remparts swept the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the first round before bowing out in three straight games to the Chicoutimi Saguenéens in round two.
During his second season in the “Q,” Nause suited up for 59 regular season games and put up eight goals and 46 points, which was tops among the team’s defensemen and seventh-best on the squad overall. He also finished the campaign with a plus-25 rating and 42 PIM.
The postseason saw Nause collect three assists and play in all 12 games as Quebec advanced to the semifinals before they were eliminated by the Shawinigan Cataractes, who went on to claim the President’s Cup.
Prior to the start of his third campaign with the Remparts, Nause signed an entry-level contract with the Panthers on July 15, 2022, participated in development camp, and was part of the main training camp roster for the first week before he was returned to Quebec on September 27.
Nause was limited to 40 regular season games due to an injury which sidelined him for six weeks. He scored five goals and added 24 assists to finish with 29 points. Although his points per game average dipped ever so slightly from the previous season (.78 to .73), he posted a robust plus-35 rating to go along with 40 penalty minutes.
In December, Nause was invited to Team Canada’s selection camp for the 2023 World Junior Championship. While he was a late cut, he impressed observers with his all-around play.
During Quebec’s dominant 16-2 postseason run that culminated in a Gilles-Courteau Trophy win, Nause matched the five goals he scored in the regular season and added four assists.
After thumping host Kamloops to open the Memorial Cup, Quebec split with fellow league champions Seattle and Peterborough to advance straight to the final, where they made short work of the Thunderbirds by a 5-0 count.
Nause appeared in all four games and picked up assists in the 8-3 win over Kamloops and the 4-2 loss to Peterborough during round-robin play.
With two titles under his belt, Nause decided to turn pro and after attending development and training camp spent the 2023-24 season in the minors with the Florida Everblades and Charlotte Checkers.
In 28 ECHL games with the Everblades, Nause collected five assists and accumulated 25 PIM. He played in nine games with the Checkers and picked up his first and only AHL point (an assist) on November 22, in a 5-2 loss to the Cleveland Monsters.
This past season saw Nause get much more playing time than the year prior, although all of it came in the ECHL with the Savannah Ghost Pirates. Nause lit the lamp six times and added 23 assists while suiting up in 63 out of Savannah’s 72 games. His 29 points were the second-most on the team for a defenseman. The fifth-place Ghost Pirates missed the playoffs, so he didn’t get the benefit of playing in the postseason.
A composed and skilled skater, Nause is effective in all three zones and while he doesn’t flash, he ends up on the score sheet quite often, averaging .74 points per game over his three seasons in the QMJHL, and after a tough first professional season, showed signs of that same ability in the ECHL. Nause will try to move up a rung and grab a spot in the rotation with the Checkers in 2025-26.