Filip Forsberg didn’t hide his reaction when asked about Luke Evangelista being shipped to the New Jersey Devils last week: it caught him off guard.
Speaking at the NHL Player Media Tour in Las Vegas, the Nashville Predators forward said the move came as “A little surprise for sure,” especially after Evangelista’s strong stretch with the club.
“I thought he took a big step last year, becoming a top-six forward consistently for us and played great, especially down the stretch. I think him and [Steven Stamkos] and Factor had a great run there at the end. But at the same time, at this point, you trust the new management.”
That new management is led by general manager Chris MacFarland, who arrived in June after leaving the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche. Forsberg made it clear he expects the Evangelista deal to be part of something larger, not the final move of the summer.
“Chris has made a lot of really good moves this summer. As of right now, a first- and second-round pick aren’t going to play for our team this year and replace those minutes that [Evangelist] had, but who knows what’s coming?
I feel like the last turn might not have been turned in this whole thing, and that’s what’s exciting. Chris has a vision and executed a lot of it right away coming in, trading a couple players, signing a couple free agents, and I’m hoping this is one of those moves that makes us better in the end.”
The Predators are trying to build on a 2025-26 season that started with them near the bottom of the Central Division and ended with a run at a playoff spot. Nashville still missed the postseason for the second straight year and for the third time in four seasons, but the late push left the organization and its fans with reason to believe.
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Predators Just Sent A Tough Message About Their Roster Direction
The Predators latest move fits the direction Chris MacFarland has been signaling since taking over as general manager. Nashville traded Luke Evangelista to the New Jersey Devils for conditional 2028 draft picks, a deal that underscores a roster reset built around younger players and a longer view of the organizations future.
Matthew Wood and Brady Martin are part of the group now getting a closer look as the front office evaluates who can grow into bigger roles. For a team that has leaned on veteran help in recent seasons, the message is clear enough: some older pieces are being moved aside to create room for the next wave, even if the full picture of how far that shift will go is still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Former Avalanche Pick Tyson Jost Is Fighting For His NHL Future
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Jost spent the 2025-26 season in Nashville after being claimed off waivers from Carolina, and now he is back in the mix with his future still unsettled. Across 564 NHL games, he has put up 69 goals and 165 points, a rsum that shows plenty of experience even as he heads into camp needing to earn the next contract all over again. [Read more 🡒]