New Jersey Devils trade for Predators forward Evangelista

The Nashville Predators traded forward Luke Evangelista to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday. In return, the Predators are receiving a 2028 conditional first-round pick that New Jersey holds via the Colorado Avalanche, along with the Devils' own 2028 second-round pick.

Evangelista scored 12 goals and posted a career-high 56 points in 81 games last season. He had one year remaining on his contract, worth $3 million.

The move continues an offseason focus for first-year Devils general manager Sunny Mehta, who took over in mid-April, on addressing scoring issues after New Jersey averaged 2.76 goals per game last season, the sixth-fewest in the NHL, and finished 12 points out of the second and final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

Evangelista joins a Devils forward group that already includes Jesper Bratt, Connor Brown, Timo Meier, Dawson Mercer, Mantha and Rodrigues.

For Nashville, the trade is the latest move by GM and team president Chris MacFarland, who took over in early June and previously served as GM of the Avalanche. MacFarland has added players familiar with the Central Division, including Mavrik Bourque, Ross Colton, Jack Drury, Alexander Kerfoot and Ilya Lybushkin, to a Predators team that finished four points adrift of the second and final Western Conference wild-card spot.