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Nashville Predators on The Hockey News
Predators' Evangelista Has 2024-25 to Prove He is a Top-6 Winger
By Rob Couch,
5 hours ago
Luke Evangelista is very likely going to be the third line right winger for the entirety of the 2024-25 season on the Nashville Predators. The only way that will change is if there's injuries in the top-6 or he breaks out in a major way.
He is only 22 years old and just completed his rookie season in the NHL, scoring 16 goals and recording 39 points in 80 games. Evangelista proved that he is a talented young player and a great piece that the Predators have to contribute in the lineup for a long time.
The Predators hope this is just the start for Evangelista. He was a third line player in his first season, but eventually he has the ability to move up and play in the top-6. In 2024-25, that shouldn't be the case though. Not yet.
Exit Interview: Luke Evangelista (7:05)
Barry Trotz brought in Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault to fill spots in the top-6, giving Evangelista another year of playing against bottom-6 opponents before possibly moving up into a larger role for the team. Marchessault is going to be around for a while as he just signed a four-year deal, but the other top-6 right winger, Gustav Nyquist, is in the last year of his deal and will be 35 by the time next season starts.
If Evangelista can prove he belongs in the top-6 this coming season and Nyquist falls off a bit or is re-signed to play a lesser role in his late 30s, then that would work out great for the Predators and the team wouldn't have to go out and find someone else to fill that potential hole in the top-6 on a contender without a ton of money.
Even in Evangelista's pre-rookie season in 2022-23, he scored seven goals and 15 points in 24 games. He has proven the ability to produce points and there is a good chance that continues with better players surrounding him on the Predators next season.
If Tomasino is still around, maybe he steps up instead of Evangelista. As of now, Evangelista is the clear option to eventually move into a top-6 role on the right side and he already has 104 regular season games under his belt. While many players go through a sophomore slump, Evangelista may be able to avoid that having played more games than normal and not having so much pressure on him to step up this season.
Big things are expected of the Predators in 2024-25 and Evangelista will be a part of that success. It remains to be seen just how much and if he can prove he is a top-6 winger and an option for Nashville moving forward.
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