Overview
- The New Jersey Devils acquired winger Luke Evangelista from the Nashville Predators in a trade that was announced late on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.
- Nashville received a conditional 2028 first-round pick originally belonging to the Colorado Avalanche plus New Jersey’s 2028 second-round pick with the first-rounder sliding to 2029 under two specified conditions.
- Evangelista is under a one-year contract at a $3 million cap hit and will be a restricted free agent after the 2026-27 season; he comes off a career year with 12 goals, 44 assists and 56 points.
- The Devils added a ready top-six playmaker but now have very limited projected cap room, with published estimates differing across outlets and therefore provisional; the Predators say the trade creates salary-cap and roster flexibility.
- The Colorado pick’s multi-step provenance and protections trace back through Calgary and the Nemec trade, making its exact value complex and giving Nashville expanded 2028 draft capital that could fuel further moves or prospect development.