The Predators are expected to activate winger Luke Evangelista from the non-roster list before tomorrow’s game against the Mammoth, according to Alex Daugherty of The Tennessean. Nashville has an open roster spot, so no corresponding transaction is needed.
Evangelista was left off Nashville’s initial roster submission and was unavailable for last night’s season opener due to delays in receiving his work visa. While that wouldn’t usually be a hiccup for a returning player, Evangelista spent most of the summer as a restricted free agent and didn’t have a contract in place for this season until last Friday, inking a two-year, $6MM pact. The Ontario-born winger needed new U.S. documents as a result, which ate into his season.
He will take to the ice for the first time in 2025-26 as Nashville’s second-line right winger alongside Steven Stamkos and Fedor Svechkov, according to today’s practice lines (via Daugherty). There are no other apparent lineup changes, meaning it’ll be 2022 first-rounder Joakim Kemell heading to the press box after he skated in that slot last night. Kemell, 21, broke camp with the Preds for the first time after getting his first taste of NHL action in a two-game call-up last year. He skated 12:22 yesterday and, while he was held off the scoresheet, managed four shot attempts and three hits, although Nashville was outattempted 13-6 when he was on the ice at even strength.
If Evangelista sticks in the top six, it’ll represent an increase in his role compared to last year. He spent a good chunk of 2024-25 on Nashville’s third line with Mark Jankowski and Thomas Novak until both were traded to the Hurricanes and Penguins, respectively, near the trade deadline. He recorded a 10-22–32 scoring line in 68 appearances, bringing the 23-year-old’s career total to 33 goals and 86 points in 172 contests since making his NHL debut in the back half of the 2022-23 season.
In the event Kemell doesn’t get back into the lineup promptly, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Preds reassign him to AHL Milwaukee in the coming days to get playing time. The 5’11” winger had 19 goals and 40 poitns in 65 AHL games last season.