The New Jersey Devils have put a long-term number on Luke Evangelista, signing the 24-year-old forward to a five-year contract worth $36.25 million on Tuesday.
The extension carries a $7.25 million average annual value and takes effect in 2027-28. Evangelista will first play out the final year of his current deal, a two-year, $6 million contract that pays him $3 million annually.
Quick facts
- Luke Evangelista agreed to a five-year, $36.25 million extension with New Jersey.
- The new contract begins in the 2027-28 season and has a $7.25 million cap hit.
- New Jersey acquired Evangelista from Nashville on Sept. 1.
- The Devils sent Nashville first- and second-round selections in the 2028 NHL Draft.
- Evangelista posted 12 goals and 44 assists in 81 games last season.
New Jersey paid a significant future price to bring Evangelista in from the Nashville Predators, moving a first-round pick and a second-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft in the Sept. 1 trade. Tuesday’s agreement makes clear the Devils see him as more than a short-term addition.
Evangelista is coming off a 56-point campaign with Nashville, setting up 44 goals while scoring 12 of his own across 81 games. His playmaking was the main driver of his production last season.
The Predators selected Evangelista in the second round, 42nd overall, in the 2020 NHL Draft. He has appeared in 253 NHL regular-season games, all with Nashville, producing 45 goals and 97 assists for 142 points.
He also has six Stanley Cup Playoff games on his resume, with one goal. The next puck drop for Evangelista will come in the final season of his existing contract before the Devils’ new five-year commitment begins.
