The Nashville Predators want to retain restricted free agent winger Luke Evangelista but he remains without a new contract as the 2025-26 NHL season inches closer, which raises questions about whether the Buffalo Sabres should target the 23-year-old Toronto native in trade talks.
David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported Tuesday that Evangelista and the Nashville front office are still "far apart on a deal" with Preds training camp right around the corner.
Although there's so far been no concrete suggestion the Predators are looking to move the 2020 second-round pick, Michael Augello of The Hockey News projected Wednesday forward prospect Isak Rosen could be the building block for a trade offer to Nashville.
Reviewing Evangelista's career
Evangelista had enjoyed a steady development pattern over the past seven years.
The Canadian winger struggled in his first season with the OHL's London Knights before scoring 172 points over the next two years. He didn't make an instant impact with the AHL's Chicago Wolves but then became an AHL All-Star during his second season in the minors.
So, expectations were high for Evangelista last year after sustained growth over his first two NHL campaigns. He didn't make the expected leap, however, tallying a modest 32 points (10 goals and 22 assists) in 68 appearances for a Predators club that massively underperformed.
Now the question is whether the 6-foot forward's development has stalled or if he was merely held back by a lineup that didn't live up to expectations across the board.
The answer is unclear, and that's probably one of the main reasons the contract negotiations probably haven't gone as smoothly as the two sides hoped entering the offseason.
Does Rosen make sense as a trade chip?
Yes. It feels like Rosen has hit a ceiling within the Sabres organization. He's coming off a strong campaign with the AHL's Rochester Americans (55 points, including 28 goals, in 61 contests) but seemingly isn't viewed as a candidate to fill the void created by the JJ Peterka trade.
The 22-year-old Swede, who Buffalo selected in the first round of the 2021 draft, doesn't have much left to prove in the AHL. It's unlikely he'll ever become a defensive force, even with more time in the minors, and scoring nearly a point per game showcases his offensive gifts.
In turn, it would make sense for Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams to use Rosen as the foundation of a trade to bring in a proven NHL forward.
Sending him to an organization where he can be judged by a different group of decision-makers, and potentially be given an NHL opportunity this season, makes sense. Another year with the Amerks likely wouldn't do much beyond hurting his trade value.
It would probably take considerably more than just Rosen to land Evangelista from the Preds, though.
How Evangelista would fit in Buffalo
The Sabres have very little certainty when it comes to their forward lines for the upcoming campaign. It's unknown whether head coach Lindy Ruff will start Tage Thompson at center or on the wing, and that decision will have a significant trickle-down effect.
As a result, joining the Sabres in the imminent future would give Evangelista to prove he deserves a spot in the team's top six, possibly even on the first line.
His ability to create plays and to operate as a pass-first winger is exactly what the Sabres are missing, especially atop a lineup card that features a lot of shoot-first forwards.
All of this is highly unlikely, of course. Deadlines spur action and the most probable outcome in this case is Evangelista signing a short-term bridge deal to rejoin the Predators ahead of the new campaign, though Nashville would probably prefer a longer-term agreement.
That said, if the standoff continues to linger as the Preds close in on their Opening Night clash with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 9, the situation could change rapidly.
If it does, the Sabres should be aggressive in their Evangelista pursuit.