New Jersey Devils sign Luke Evangelista to 5-year extension
The New Jersey Devils signed forward Luke Evangelista to a five-year contract extension Tuesday night, securing his place among the club's deep forward group after he was acquired from the Nashville Predators earlier this month.
Evangelista's new deal will begin with the 2027-28 season and will total $36.25 million with a $7.25 million average annual value, New Jersey general manager Sunny Mehta announced in a team news release.
On Sept. 1, Nashville dealt Evangelista, 24, who scored 12 goals with a career-high 56 points in 81 games last season, to New Jersey for a 2028 conditional first-round pick via the Colorado Avalanche and the Devils' 2028 second-round pick. His current deal, which runs through this season for the 2020 second-round pick, is worth $3 million.
Mehta, who replaced Tom Fitzgerald in the Devils front office on April 16, has worked quickly to upgrade the offense and support stars Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt and captain Nico Hischier. Mehta also added two-time Stanley Cup winner Evan Rodrigues in a trade with the Florida Panthersand signed winger Anthony Mantha in free agency away from the Pittsburgh Penguins.
New Jersey averaged 2.76 goals per game last season, which was the sixth-fewest goals per game in the NHL. The Devils finished 12 points out of the second and final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
