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Nashville, Tenn. (March 28, 2021) - Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Sunday that the team has assigned forward Luke Evangelista to Chicago (AHL).

Evangelista, 19 (2/21/02), Nashville's second-round choice (42nd overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft, has yet to play this season due to the OHL's indefinite delay to begin the 2020-21 campaign. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound right wing played in 62 games for the OHL's London Knights in 2019-20, tallying 61 points (23g-38a) - 57 of which came at even-strength - and six game-winning goals, the second-most on his team. Compared to his rookie OHL campaign in 2018-19 (two assists in 27 games), he posted a 59-point improvement and was a key contributor to London's league-leading penalty kill, chipping in two points (1g-1a) to a unit that operated at an 83.8 percent success rate, tops in the league.

Preds select winger Luke Evangelista 42nd overall

Internationally, the Oakville, Ont., native competed for Canada White at the 2018 U-17 World Hockey Challenge, where he picked up an assist in five games. Evangelista, who is joining a Chicago squad that leads the AHL's Central Division with an 11-2-0-1 record (23 points), is second cousins with two-time Stanley Cup champion and Hockey Hall of Famer Brendan Shanahan.

Preds amateur scout analyzes forward Luke Evangelista