Ever since the New Jersey Devils grabbed the forward in September 2026 from the Nashville Predators, Luke Evangelista has been a player with a fresh beginning in his career. Evangelista led the way on the offense in what was his best campaign to date and, with him still coming off a nine-game college rebirth, New Jersey has a young forward with experience and playmaking ability.
Evangelista was chosen in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Next Generation Scouting Combine in the second round, 42nd overall, by the Nashville Predators. He made his NHL debut in 2022-23, and slowly began to find a place in the Predators’ rotation. He played in 81 of the 85 available games during the 2025-26 season where he had 12 goals and 44 assists to go with 56 career points, career highs in assists and points.
The Devils received the conditional 2028 NHL Draft first round pick and the conditional second round pick as part of the trade for Evangelista. The addition brings Jersey a second option to existing forwards like Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Timo Meier. Evangelista has been candid about being a player who believes he can open up opportunities for his teammates; something that might naturally fall into place in a talented front row.
It also provides Evangelista a chance to capitalize on recent improvements. He has been noted to be a complete offensive threat these past seasons as he has added 44 assists on the final season, saying he wanted to be a better goal scorer and playmaker. He’s also downplayed his status as the starter because he hasn’t been named, but earned it at training camp.
The exchange is only the latest of many in Evangelista’s career. It is a chance to be a part of a brand new team, play under a new coach and play for a bigger role as the Devils aim to improve their list.
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