Luke Evangelista signs five-year, $36.25 million deal with Devils

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/evangelista-luke/nXikE90s/"]Evangelista[/a], 24, was acquired via trade with the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nashville-predators/QV0K6kn4/"]Nashville Predators[/a] at the beginning of September in exchange for a 2028 conditional first-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick.[/p][embed guid="fc717f11-b79e-4d44-8c3e-20afba23cf7b" url="https://x.com/NJDevils/status/2100062427953971267?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Before being dealt, Evangelista spent all four years of his NHL career with the Preds. The Toronto, Ontario, native is coming off a career season after posting 56 points with 12 goals and a career-high 44 assists, which shattered his previous best of 23. [/p][p]After being selected 42nd overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, Evangelista wouldn't make his debut until the 2022-2023 season, when he put up seven goals and eight assists in 24 games, putting together an average ice time of 16:34, which was almost a full three minutes more than the following two seasons.[/p][p]Despite averaging 13:57 of ice time in his second season, Evangelista put up what is still a career-high 16 goals, along with 23 assists, in 80 games. [/p][p]He would have a down season in 2024-2025 (10g, 22a) after missing four weeks with a lower-body injury, playing in 68 games, before bouncing back this past year. [/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-jersey-devils/Kh0O591A/"]Devils[/a] needed a top-six winger. Now Evangelista has a chance to help the Devils for years to come. [/p][p]Their season begins on October 1st against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/philadelphia-flyers/QySGG7oT/"]Philadelphia Flyers[/a].[/p]