Devils Acquire Luke Evangelista for Two 2028 Draft Picks in Trade With Predators

The New Jersey Devils acquired 24-year-old forward Luke Evangelista from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a conditional first-round pick and a second-round selection.

The New Jersey Devils acquired 24-year-old forward Luke Evangelista from the Nashville Predators on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. In exchange for the winger, Nashville received a 2028 conditional first-round draft pick originally belonging to the Colorado Avalanche and the Devils' own 2028 second-round pick. Evangelista arrives in Newark following a breakthrough campaign where he recorded 12 goals and a career-high 56 points across 81 games. The forward enters the final year of a contract carrying a $3 million valuation.

General manager Sunny Mehta, who transitioned from his role as Florida Panthers assistant GM to lead the Devils in mid-April, executed the move to rectify a scoring deficiency. New Jersey averaged 2.76 goals per game last season, a mark that ranked as the sixth-fewest in the NHL. This offensive struggle contributed to the club finishing 12 points behind the second and final Eastern Conference playoff berth. Evangelista joins a wing rotation that currently features Jesper Bratt, Connor Brown, Timo Meier, and Dawson Mercer.

New Jersey Roster Overhaul Under Sunny Mehta

This trade represents the latest step in Mehta’s offseason restructuring of the Devils' roster. In June, the first-year GM traded goaltender Jacob Markstrom to the Florida Panthers to acquire Evan Rodrigues. Rodrigues, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, has maintained a consistent production level of at least 10 goals and 30 points in each of the last five seasons.

Further bolstering the top-six, the Devils signed free-agent winger Anthony Mantha to a two-year contract worth $4.75 million annually. Mantha joins the organization after a 33-goal, 64-point performance for the Pittsburgh Penguins last season. These additions aim to provide veteran depth alongside the newly acquired Evangelista as the team seeks to close the double-digit point gap that kept them out of the postseason.

Nashville Predators Pivot Under Chris MacFarland

Nashville Predators GM and team president Chris MacFarland, who took over leadership in early June after serving as the Colorado Avalanche GM, has prioritized acquiring draft capital and Central Division experience. By trading Evangelista, Nashville now holds two first-round selections and three second-round picks for the 2028 NHL Entry Draft. The Predators are coming off a season where they finished four points short of the second and final Western Conference wild-card position.

MacFarland has utilized his tenure to integrate several players familiar with the Central Division landscape. The Predators roster now includes Mavrik Bourque, Ross Colton, Jack Drury, Alexander Kerfoot, and Ilya Lybushkin. The departure of Evangelista clears his $3 million cap hit as the front office continues to reshape the lineup following their narrow miss of the playoffs.

Statistical Impact and Roster Depth

The acquisition of Evangelista provides the Devils with a playmaker who averaged 0.69 points per game during his final year in Nashville. His 56-point output last season would have significantly impacted a New Jersey offense that struggled to find consistent secondary scoring. The trade gives Mehta a younger asset to pair with his veteran acquisitions, Rodrigues and Mantha, as the team attempts to climb out of the bottom tier of league scoring rankings.