The Nashville Predators are headed in a new direction, and it is time to check out some of the organization’s prospects. The team has recalled Luke Evangelista from the Milwaukee Admirals, the first call-up of his short professional career.
Selected 42nd overall in 2020, the impressive development of Evangelista has gone largely unnoticed by the media, partly because of the missing season in 2020-21 and his return to the OHL in 2021-22.
After playing just 14 games in his post-draft year because of the COVID restrictions that canceled the OHL’s season, Evangelista returned to the London Knights last year and went on a rampage. With 55 goals and 111 points in 62 games as captain of the powerhouse junior program, he showed that a lost year had no impact on his offensive development.
In 49 games with the Admirals this year, he has continued that upward trajectory with 41 points, even if his goal-scoring totals have come back down to earth. Now, following the trades of Nino Niederreiter and Tanner Jeannot, plus more that could be coming down the pipe for Nashville, Evangelista will get his chance at the highest level.
Even if the rest of this season isn’t much fun for Predators fans, they will have some exciting young faces to watch.
I’d like them to get a good long look at Egor Afansyev as well I think he could be a solid power forward
Wonder how Forsberg feels now about signing that long term deal to stay in Nashville? Count the money, cuz you won’t be counting many wins in the next few seasons.