Nashville Predators right wing Luke Evangelista celebrates a goal against the Dallas Stars on November 8, 2025 at Bridgestone Arena. JOHN RUSSELL/NASHVILLE PREDATORS

Nashville Predators forward Luke Evangelista saw an opening and didn’t hesitate.

After absorbing a Roman Josi slap shot in front of the net against the Winnipeg Jets on Nov. 29, Evangelista composed himself and skillfully handled Erik Haula’s rimmed pass off his left skate. In one smooth motion, he backhanded a top-shelf shot over Jets goaltender Eric Comrie.

The sequence lasted less than five seconds.

“It happened fast,” Evangelista told Main Street Nashville. “I got to the other side of the net and had a feeling I might be able to beat the goalie to the post there. I just tried to get it up as quickly as I could.”

As Evangelista nears what will be his 200th career game on Dec. 9, he’s starting to look more like the promising rookie who emerged two seasons ago and less like the player who underwhelmed last year.

The 23-year-old’s 14 assists and plus-5 rating are team bests, and he ranks second in points (18) and shots (57). Evangelista’s offensive uptick, paired with his steadiness in the defensive zone, has resulted in his ice time jumping from 13:52 per game in 2024-25 to 15:56 this year.

“You’re seeing in Luke Evangelista that sort of doggedness, that confidence, that swagger (he) had,” Predators general manager Barry Trotz told 102.5 The Game’s “DMase, Vingan & Daunic” on Dec. 2. “He sort of lost it last year, and I think he’s getting it back.”

Evangelista spent time this offseason reflecting on where he got off track.

He wasn’t confident enough in his play to routinely manufacture his own space on the ice. There was a streakiness to his game, resulting in long stretches where he was not impactful for the struggling Predators.

It amounted to a 32-point season, including just 10 goals.

“(The NHL) is getting faster and faster and younger and younger, and it’s hard to get separation,” Trotz told 102.5-FM. “Luke would slow it down a little bit and lose some opportunities. I think now that he’s worked on it all summer and put in the time, it’s starting to show.”

Evangelista missed more than two weeks of Nashville’s training camp due to a contact dispute. He eventually signed a two-year, $6 million deal on Oct. 4 and rejoined the team in time for its second game.

While primarily playing top-six minutes, Evangelista has flourished. He tallied eight points over a five-game stretch from Nov. 24 to Dec. 2 that coincided with 1,200-point man Steven Stamkos joining him and veteran center Ryan O’Reilly on the first line.

“Vange is a player who’s really taken a step this year,” Stamkos said. “The offensive skill was always there. You’re seeing the confidence and consistency now. It’s great to see.”

Evangelista wants to keep the good times rolling. He certainly doesn’t mind playing alongside a pair of former NHL All-Stars in the meantime.

“We’re starting to click a little bit,” he said. “When you see the puck go in the net, you start feeling that confidence again. It’s nice to see the production come along. You’ve just got to ride that wave. I’ve been through the highs and the lows. When these stretches come, you just want to ride that confidence.”

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