Luke Evangelista was traded to the New Jersey Devils by the Nashville Predators on Tuesday. The Predators received a conditional first-round pick and a second-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft. New Jersey previously received the Calgary Flames’ conditional first-round pick in the deal for defenseman Simon Nemec on June 23. Evangelista had 56 points (12 goals, 44 assists) in 81 games for the Predators last season in the NHL. The 24-year-old forward is entering the second season of a two-year, $6 million contract (average annual value of $3 million) he signed with Nashville on Oct. 4, 2025. He can become a restricted free agent after this season. “We know Luke is a good young player who has endeared himself to our fans, so this decision was not made lightly,” Predators general manager Chris MacFarland said. “At the same time, we have explored every possibility in seeking to make our team better in the future. This trade brings us two higher draft picks, giving us seven in the first two rounds over the next two seasons; gives us flexibility from a roster and salary cap standpoint to make additional improvements to our team; and creates space for promising young wingers within our organization to compete and earn a job in the NHL. We wish Luke all the best in New Jersey.” Selected by Nashville in the second round (No. 42) of the 2020 NHL Draft, Evangelista has 142 points (45 goals, 97 assists) in 253 regular season games and one goal in six Stanley Cup playoff games.
