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Opportunity Seized — July 1, 2024 – VOL. 77, Issue. 14 – Carol Schram
WHEN ARTURS SILOVS suddenly landed on the scene for Game 4 of the Nashville Predators’ first-round playoff series against the Vancouver Canucks, Luke Evangelista was one of the few NHL players who already had a read on the lanky Latvian
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“I can remember that day, that game, those goals like it was just a few months ago,” Evangelista said. “It’s been a great ride so far.”
When he was drafted in Round 2 (42nd overall) by Nashville in 2020, Evangelista was primarily known as a smart, playmaking right winger. The following season, he saw limited action while the OHL was shut down, getting into just 14 games with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.
In the fall of 2021, he returned to the London Knights as a 19-year-old and was named captain. Then, he unveiled a new-found nose for the net, scoring an OHL-best 55 goals to go along with 56 assists. From there, he made a smooth transition to the AHL, logging 41 points in 49 games with Milwaukee in 2022-23.
Evangelista’s first NHL call-up came in February 2023 as the Predators started cleaning house ahead of the trade deadline. He staked his claim on a full-time roster spot for 2023-24 by finishing with 15 points in 24 games – a stretch that started with those two goals against Silovs.
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And while there was change on the roster and behind the bench, Evangelista had no trouble convincing first-year Preds coach Andrew Brunette that he had the physical and mental tools to be an effective NHLer. “Luke is a big-time player,” Brunette said. “I don’t think he’s intimidated by anything. He wants the moment, and you love that about him.”
Raised in Toronto, Evangelista caught the hockey bug early. His aspirations were juiced by his mom’s cousin, Brendan Shanahan. “He’s been a cool influence,” Evangelista said. “Someone you look up to, who makes you realize the dream is possible.”
As a preschooler, Evangelista was thrilled to get behind-the-scenes access and a photo with Jaromir Jagr after his family was invited to attend a morning skate when Shanahan’s New York Rangers visited the Leafs.
HE’S SOMEONE YOU LOOK UP TO, WHO MAKES YOU REALIZE THE DREAM IS POSSIBLE—EVANGELISTA ON SHANAHAN
By then, Evangelista was already a true-blue fan of his hometown team. The first jersey he ever owned was that of a rookie defenseman who shares his first name and is now a teammate—Luke Schenn.
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When Schenn broke into the league at 18, his 33-year-old teammate Jamal Mayers offered some prescient advice. “He said, ‘Always be nice to the five- and six-year-olds. One day, they’re going to be your teammates,’” Schenn said. “I didn’t really know what he meant by that at the time, but now I understand.”
Evangelista and Schenn met for the first time at the Predators’ camp in September, after Schenn signed with Nashville. It’s said that you should never meet your heroes, but the thoughtful and engaging Schenn did not disappoint. “He exceeded my expectations,” said Evangelista, 22. “He was way cooler than I thought.”
Early on, the revamped Predators went through some growing pains. But Evangelista was a steady contributor all season, finishing sixth in rookie scoring with 16 goals and 39 points.
He was scratched for just the second time all year for the infamous 9-2 loss to Dallas on Feb. 15 that triggered the cancellation of the team’s outing to see U2 in Vegas. But through the 18 games without a regulation loss that followed, he was a key part of the success story with six goals and 10 points, and he carved out a regular spot on the first power-play unit.
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Prior to Nashville’s first-round series against Vancouver, Schenn invited Evangelista to his home for dinner and some mini-sticks with his kids. The gesture was a highlight for a talented player whose NHL story is just beginning. “I remember calling my mom,” Evangelista said. “I was like, ‘If you told the six-year-old me that I’d be playing mini-sticks with Luke Schenn, I’d be freaking out.’”
