The Nashville Predators decided to ship a young winger to the New Jersey Devils. This is interesting, given the Central Division's insane power.
The Central Division includes the Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, Utah Mammoth, St. Louis Blues, Chicago Blackhawks, Winnipeg Jets, and Predators.
Luke Evangelista traded for a lot
Luke Evangelista, 24, scored 12 goals and added 44 assists in the 2025-26 season in 81 games. The Devils last season struggled to score goals, and they have tried to add several players throughout the offseason with a lot of potential.
This includes an offer sheet for Barrett Hayton, a Utah Mammoth center whom Utah decided to retain and match. New Jersey, in return, gave Nashville one first-round selection and a second-round selection, both in the 2028 NHL draft.
"Anytime you trade a good player that's got a lot of cachet and been a part of an organization for a few years, and is a dang good person that's done a good job here and played good hockey for the Preds for the last number of years, it’s just the tough part of the business," Predators general manager Chris MacFarland said. "We wish Luke the very, very best as he embarks on a new journey for himself with the Devils."
With Evangelista being 24, there is certainly hope for the Devils to get a star who can become a huge centerpiece of the offense. For the Preds, they might not expect to compete in the 2026-27 season. That is impossible to tell, though. Nashville has plenty of talent and a great goalie, so reaching the postseason isn't impossible.
For Utah, this is notable and may make life a bit easier. The Central Division is bound to be rough to play in for many teams, so seeing one team trade away a potential star might be a good thing.
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