Nashville, Tenn. (Oct. 4, 2025) – Nashville Predators General Manager Barry Trotz announced today that the team has signed forward Luke Evangelista to a two-year, $6 million contract.
Evangelista, 23 (2/21/02), recorded 32 points (10g-22a) in 68 games with the Predators during the 2024-25 season, his second as a full-time NHL player. The 6-foot, 183-pound forward hit the 10-goal, 20-assist and 30-point plateaus for the second straight campaign after posting 16 goals, 23 assists and 39 points as a rookie in 2023-24. Evangelista closed out this past regular season with 13 points (4g-9a) in his final 14 games; he ranked fifth on the Predators in even-strength points (27) and averaged 13:52 of ice time.
Originally selected by the Predators in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft, Evangelista made his NHL debut on Feb. 28, 2023 vs. Pittsburgh and has played 172 career games, recording 86 points (33g-53a) and a +5 rating. Since entering the NHL, he ranks third among all Predators skaters in even-strength goals (29) and shots on goal (360); fourth in even-strength points (69); tied for fourth in goals (33); fifth in assists (53) and plus-minus rating (+5); and sixth in points (86). In 2023-24, Evangelista ranked sixth among NHL rookies in goals, assists and points, earning him a ninth-place finish in Calder Trophy voting. His 54 points (23g-31a) while classified as a rookie were the second-most in franchise history. Evangelista also owns 45 points (9g-36a) in 63 games at the AHL level with Milwaukee and Chicago, earning a spot on the AHL All-Star Classic roster in 2022-23 while helping lead the Admirals to the Western Conference Final that same season.
Prior to his time in the Predators organization, Evangelista skated in 151 games for the OHL’s London Knights from 2018-22, racking up 174 points (78g-96a). In 2021-22, his final junior campaign, he served as London’s captain and recorded 55 goals and 111 points (62 GP), the most in an OHL regular season by a Nashville draft pick, a mark previously held by David Legwand in 1997-98 (105) with the Plymouth Whalers. He led the league in goals, was second in points per game (1.79) and fourth in points. Internationally, the Toronto, Ont., native represented Canada at the 2018 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, recording an assist in five games.
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