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These players are the Most Improved for the Surging Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators had really nowhere to go but up after their 68-point campaign in 2024-25, but they are looking like a much improved squad over the past month.
ByChad Minton|
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Dec 20, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91) celebrates a goal with left wing Filip Forsberg (9) against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Dec 20, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91) celebrates a goal with left wing Filip Forsberg (9) against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
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Luke Evangelista, Alexander Nikishin, Nashville Predators
Carolina Hurricanes v Nashville Predators | John Russell/GettyImages

Luke Evangelista is the obvious most improved player for the Nashville Predators so far this season

I don't really think it's even particularly close on this one. Luke Evangelista's transformation into a game-changing, dynamic forward is so crystal clear this season that even his loudest critics have to admit it. He jumps off the screen and passes the eye test with flying colors.

What's even more impressive about Evangelista's first year with his new contract, which brings enormous pressure, is his two-way game. This is where he's showing so much improvement from last year. He's impacting the game on both ends, but of course on the offensive end his driving the play to the tune of 20 assists.

And then of cousre we have Exhibit A for why Evangelista is the most improved player on this Predators team, and it's this gem of a goal against the Maple Leafs just a week ago.

The confidence oozing out of Evangelista to make this play, to take on basically the entire Maple Leafs defense to score that goal to put his team ahead on the scoreboard is like oxygen for this franchise who has desperately been grasping for air for the past two seasons.

I'm glad that Evangelsita is finally getting the confidence from the coaching staff to play bigger minutes. I've been calling for this going back to before last season, but when the free agency haul of Marchessault and Stamkos happened, it created a barrier for Evangelista to climb up.

Evangelista has played about 170 minutes on a line with veteran playmakers Forsberg and O'Reilly, and this combination is good for 30th among all forward lines in Expected Goals For, per MoneyPuck.

Another example of how Evangelista is growing his game so fast is his primary assists. His direct impact on finding his teammates and putting them in the best situations to score a goal. Evangelista is 23rd in the NHL in primary assists with 15. In other words, he's not just getting cheap secondary assists.

Evangelista only signed a two-year deal, and if he keeps this level of play up going into the next offseason, then contract negotiations are already going to have to begin to keep him here long-term.

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