Nashville Trades Away Young Forward To New Jersey Devils

The Predators are acquiring draft picks in exchange for Luke Evangelista.

Dec 29, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Nashville Predators right wing Luke Evangelista (77) skates with the puck against the Utah Mammoth during the third period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Nashville Predators announced the franchise has traded away forward Luke Evangelista to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for the Colorado Avalanche's 2028 first-round pick and New Jersey's 2028 second-round pick.

Evangelista was drafted in the second round with the 42nd pick in the 2020 draft by the Predators. He spent two seasons in the AHL with Milwaukee before joining the Predators roster in February 2023. The forward played in 253 games for Nashville over four seasons, scoring 45 goals with 142 points.

The 24-year-old becomes part of new Nashville general manager Chris MacFarland's eighth trade since taking the job in June. Trading away the Canadian comes as quite the surprise, but the draft return gives Nashville five picks in the first two rounds of the 2028 NHL Draft. The Predators already had a second round pick from the Minnesota Wild, and now add the two picks to from the Devils to the two picks of their own.

“We know Luke is a good, young player who has endeared himself to our fans, so this decision was not made lightly," MacFarland said in a statement. "At the same time, we’ve explored all possibilities in pursuit of making our team better moving forward. This trade brings us two more high draft picks, giving us seven in the first two rounds over the next two seasons; provides us with flexibility from a roster and salary cap standpoint to make additional improvements to our team; and creates a space for the promising young wingers within our organization to compete for, and earn, an NHL job. We wish Luke all the best in New Jersey.”

The forward signed a two-year $6 million contract with the Predators in October of 2025 and was entering the second year of the agreement. MacFarland opted to move on from the Canadian forward in exchange for valuable draft capital.

His depature opens a spot in the Predators' lineup that may go to one of its young prospects. Joakim Kemmell, Reid Schaefer and Brady Martin will look to prove themselves with the Predators open training camp later this month.

TRADE 🔄

We've acquired Colorado’s 2028 first-round pick (conditional) and New Jersey’s 2028 second-round pick from the Devils in exchange for forward Luke Evangelista.

Full details » https://t.co/mJrWUXdjJD pic.twitter.com/6pMSKh8YEE

— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) September 2, 2026

This article will be updated.

Chris MacFarland 2026 Offseason Trades

• Trades away goalie Magnus Chrona, 2026 Third Round Pick, 2027 Third Round Pick for Colorado Avalanche forward Ross Colton and goalie Isak Posch.

• Trades away forwards Zach L'Heureux and Fedor Svechkov for Colorado Avalanche forwards Jack Drury and Chase Bradley, along with a 2029 Third Round Pick.

• Trades away second round picks No. 42 and No. 57 to Carolina in exchange for No. 31 overall in the first round. The Predators used the first round pick on defenseman Tommy Bleyl.

• Trades away forward Massimo Rizzo and a 2026 Fifth Round Pick to the New York Rangers in exchange for center Adam Edstrom.

• Traded away a fifth-round draft pick (160) to Pittsburgh in exchange for a 2028 fifth-round draft pick.

• Traded away a 2027 second-round and 2028 third-round draft pick to the Dallas Stars in exchange for center Mavrik Bourque and defenseman Ilya Lyubuskin

• Traded away forward Sutter Muzzatti to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for future considerations.

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