Reporter Urges Maple Leafs to Take a Swing and Trade For 23-Year-Old Toronto-Born Winger
Photo credit: Alan Poizner - Imagn Images
The Maple Leafs have a great opportunity to bolster their forward group by looking to acquire restricted free agent winger Luke Evangelista from the Nashville Predators.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are by no means done with making additions to their roster, but with the free agent market proving to be shallow and the trade winds not blowing, they might have to get creative in an effort to bolster their lineup.
One player in particular that should be on their radar is Luke Evangelista from the Nashville Predators. The 23-year-old just finished up his 3rd season in the NHL with a bit of a down-year due to injury, but has all the tools that could make him a worthwhile target.
Evangelista scored 55 goals and 111 points in his final year with the London Knights before taking the professional ranks by storm with a rookie season that saw him net 41 points in 49 games at the AHL-level and 15 points in 24 games at the NHL-level.
However, it's been a bit of a grind for the Toronto native over the last 2 seasons with 26 goals and 71 points in 148 games. But, as Nick Alberga from the Leafs Morning Take mentions, he has proven his abilities at every level, it's just about finding that level of consistency.
"He's the perfect example of a guy, similar of what they tried to do with Matias Maccelli, where jumped ahead of the curve, get the next guy before he is the guy, bring him in, and then get him to that next level... he can score at every level he plays at, now it's finding that consistency."
Alberga brings up a good comparison with Matias Maccelli, who the Leafs acquired this summer from the Utah Mammoth for a 3rd-round pick. A player that has a lot of talent, has proven his abilities at the NHL-level at a young age, but has struggled a bit in recent years and could use a change of scenery.
Evangelista is currently an RFA but has that low-risk-high-reward aura surrounding him. It shouldn't cost too much to acquire his rights and the Leafs could then look to sign him to a one-year deal to prove his mettle.
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