The Nashville Predators and forward Luke Evangelista agreed on a two-year contract Friday, a source told ESPN, ending the final restricted free agent stalemate of the NHL preseason.

The contract carries a $3 million average annual value, the source said. Evangelista will be a restricted free agent again when this contract expires.

Evangelista, 23, is entering his fourth NHL season after being drafted 42nd by Nashville in 2020. He had 10 goals and 22 assists in 68 games in 2024-25, skating to a minus-2 in 13:52 of average ice time.

He did not report to training camp amid a contentious negotiation with the Predators. The two sides traded offers for months and had recently discussed a three-year extension before agreeing on a two-year deal.

Despite the prolonged talks, Nashville gener

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