The Nashville Predators have sent forward Luke Evangelista to the Nashville Predators for a pair of picks in the 2028 NHL Draft.
As training camp approaches for the upcoming NHL season, the New Jersey Devils are bolstering their forward depth.
The Devils have acquired forward Luke Evangelista from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a conditional 2028 first-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick, the team announced Tuesday.
Evangelista is entering the final season of a two-year, $6-million contract ($3 million AAV) and is set to become a restricted free agent next summer.
After this trade, the Predators now have 11 picks in the 2028 NHL Draft, with five picks in the first two rounds. The Devils, who sent the Colorado Avalanche's 2028 first in this trade, still possess their own pick for the same year.
If the Avalanche do not transfer their 2027 pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs (Nic Roy trade), or the choice in 2028 is in the top 10, the Predators receive an unprotected pick for 2029.
The 24-year-old scored 12 goals and put up career-bests in assists with 44 and points with 56 points in the 2025-26 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 in a statement. "At the same time, we’ve explored all possibilities in pursuit of making our team better moving forward."
The Devils have $1.85 million left in cap space after taking on Evangelista's salary, while the Predators now have just over $10.6 million available.
Evangelista was a second-round pick, taken 42nd overall in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Predators and made his debut in the middle of the 2022-23 season, putting up 15 points in his first 24 NHL games. He then became a mainstay in Nashville's lineup over the past three seasons.
The Toronto native spent his junior hockey days with the London Knights before entering the NHL. In the 2021-22 season, Evangelista led the OHL in goals with 55 and finished fourth in scoring with 111 points in only 62 games.
The Predators have missed the Stanley Cup playoffs for two years in a row, finishing sixth in the Central Division with a 38-34-10 record in 2025-26.
The Devils also missed the playoffs last season, finishing seventh in the Metropolitan Division with a 42-37-3 record.
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