Evan Rodrigues

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Rodrigues was born on July 28, 1993, in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada to parents Christine and Norbert. His father is an immigrant from Portugal who moved to Canada as a teenager. Rodrigues was raised alongside two older brothers, and all three played ice hockey growing up. He played two seasons for the Georgetown Raiders of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), scoring 105 points in 94 contests. He attended Boston University, playing four seasons with the Boston University Terriers, tallying 121 points in 146 contests. He was named Hockey East Player of the Month in both January and April 2015.

In Their Own Story

Rodrigues's career took a dramatic turn during the 2019–20 season. Struggling with just 5 goals in 38 games for Buffalo, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins on February 24, 2020, alongside Conor Sheary for Dominik Kahun. A subsequent trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs fell through on October 9, 2020, as he could not agree on terms without a qualifying offer, leading him to re-sign with Pittsburgh. His time there produced a historic highlight: on January 2, 2022, Rodrigues and Bryan Rust each recorded hat-tricks in the third period during an 8–5 victory over the San Jose Sharks, marking the first time since 2008 two Penguins scored three goals in one game. Following this, he joined the Colorado Avalanche as a free agent on September 12, 2022, signing a one-year deal. After a successful lone season there, he moved to the Florida Panthers on July 2, 2023, where he captured back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025 before his trade to New Jersey.

Reader's Guide

Rodrigues signed a two-way, entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres on April 22, 2015. He made his NHL debut on April 8, 2016, and scored his first NHL goal and assist the following night against the New York Islanders. He was re-signed by the Sabres multiple times, then traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins on February 24, 2020. After a brief stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, he returned to Pittsburgh as a free agent. On September 12, 2022, he signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Colorado Avalanche. On July 2, 2023, he signed a four-year, $12 million contract with the Florida Panthers. On June 30, 2026, he was traded to the New Jersey Devils.

Did You Know?

• Rodrigues scored his first NHL goal and first NHL assist in the same game, the night after his NHL debut.
• On January 2, 2022, Rodrigues and Bryan Rust each recorded a hat-trick in the third period to lift the Penguins 8–5 over the San Jose Sharks, the first time since 2008 that the Penguins had two players record hat tricks
• Rodrigues finished second in the nation in scoring during his senior year at Boston University, behind teammate Jack Eichel.