Overview

• Agreement ends a three-month holdout after Evangelista missed training camp and returns him to the roster before Nashville’s Oct. 9 opener.
• The contract carries a $3 million average annual value, as reported by multiple outlets including TSN.
• Evangelista had been the NHL’s final unsigned restricted free agent before the deal was reached.
• Negotiations had stalled over term and salary, with brief three-year talks and a reported early 2x$2.1 million offer before both sides settled on a two-year bridge.
• The deal runs through 2026–27, keeping team control in place for a 2027 RFA case, and follows a 2024–25 season of 32 points in 68 games.