THN Archive: Opportunity Seized

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Opportunity Seized — July 1, 2024 - VOL. 77, Issue. 14 - Carol SchramWHEN 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“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.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,” Eva