Meet the Newest New Jersey Devil: Luke Evangelista

Although the New Jersey Devils already made some offseason additions, they still aren’t done just yet. On Tuesday, Sep. 1, the Devils announced they traded two 2028 NHL Draft picks to the Nashville Predators in exchange for forward Luke Evangelista.

Here, we will break down Evangelista’s NHL beginnings and what he can bring to the Devils.

Evangelista’s NHL Beginnings

Evangelista was selected by the Nashville Predators in the 2nd round, 42nd overall, of the 2020 NHL Draft. It wasn’t until the 2022-23 season where he finally touched NHL ice. He took his rookie lap on Feb. 28, 2023, against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Evangelista recorded 14:28 on the ice amongst 17 shifts and even took two shots. In his second NHL game, Evangelista recorded his first NHL point, an assist. Two games later, he scored not one, but his first two NHL goals against the Vancouver Canucks. In total for the 2022-23 season, Evangelista played in 24 games and recorded 15 points.

The 2023-24 season was his first full-time season in the NHL. He played in 80 games and recorded 39 points. After a strong performance in his first full-time season, Evangelista was looking to run it back for 2024-25. Unfortunately, a lower-body injury sidelined him for a month, reducing his play time. He still managed to play in 68 games and recorded 32 points.

The 2025-26 season was incredible for Evangelista. He played in 81 games and recorded 56 points via 12 goals and 44 assists. After dealing with injury in 2024-25, this performance was the breakout season Evangelista needed to prove his skill, not only to the Predators but to the NHL as a whole.

What Evangelista Brings to the Devils

Evangelista is a young, talented player who has proven he has a great hockey IQ. His performance last season solidified him as a threat to any opposing team. He often produces points, and he is a fast skater. 

At just 24 years old, Evangelista can still continue to grow as a player. Pairing him with Nico Hischier and Timo Meier on the top line would make the top six an even bigger offensive threat. The Devils could also pair him with Jesper Bratt and Jack Hughes, taking their second line to an even greater scoring potential. Hopefully, Evangelista can find the same chemistry and scoring chances he did in Nashville with the Devils to help take New Jersey’s scoring to new heights.

Evangelista is entering the final year of his two-year contract, which the Devils will now take ownership of. He was signed to an average annual value (AAV) of $3 million. At the end of the 2026-27 season, he will become a free agent. This is less pressure for the Devils, as they are not absorbing a long contract. There is just one year left, and Evangelista has already proven he can produce in the points department.

If Evangelista has another strong showing in New Jersey, then the Devils can sign him, no question. At the same point, if he doesn’t produce like they anticipate, the Devils can let him hit the free agency market without feeling guilty about it. Picking up Evangelista in this way is a huge win-win for the Devils.

Evangelista Will Add to an Already Strong Devils Team

Due to his proven points production, Evangelista will add to an already strong Devils team. In the offseason, New Jersey has already acquired Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist, Anthony Mantha, and David Rittich. Evangelista joins a long list of strong additions, heavily geared towards upgrading the forwards group.

As the Devils look to have a strong performance in 2026-27, there will be a lot of pressure for Evangelista to have another great season like he did in Nashville in 2025-26.