Why Nashville Predators rookie Luke Evangelista is living rent-free no more

Luke Evangelista was living rent-free — not in the heads of Nashville Predators teammates Tommy Novak and Cole Smith, but rather their house.

The "Roommates Line" began bunking together during training camp. The arrangement lasted until recently, when Evangelista packed his belongings and got his own place.

"We had a little room for him," Novak said.

What gives? Was there a fight?

"No, no, not at all," Evangelista said. "They weren't even making me pay rent. I felt bad. They really were just babysitting me. I was like, 'I gotta be a little independent,' so I got my own spot."

Adventures in babysitting

Novak's and Smith's adventures in babysitting the 21-year-old Evangelista may have come to a close, but the bond the three formed remains as strong as ever.

Going into Thursday, Evangelista and Novak had played 290 minutes, 34 seconds together in 33 games. They had 15 goals for and 11 against, to go with a 63.92 expected goals-for percentage.

The three have spent 48:13 together on the ice with two goals for, two against and a 60.58 expected goals-for percentage.

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"I love how slippery he is," Evangelista said of Novak, who has seven goals and 13 assists in 33 games this season. "In the offensive zone, crafty. I think we complement each other really well."

Evangelista had seven goals and eight assists in 24 games last season, meaning he's technically a rookie this season.

And he's hardly been lost in a crowd that includes No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard.

Evangelista's nine goals were tied for fourth-most going into Wednesday night's games. His 21 points have him tied for seventh.

"He's trying to find ways to be consistent, just like myself," Novak said. "It's tough in this league to play your best every night. That's what you have to do or else you'll be exposed."

That a rap

Novak, who is five years older than Evangelista, said he first met his former roommate while the two played for the Chicago Wolves during the COVID-19 season that saw the Predators and Carolina Hurricanes share an AHL team in 2020-21.

"We barely talked to each other," Evangelista said. "We joke about it all the time."

Milwaukee, though, was a different story. Evangelista and Novak became close while playing for the Admirals, got to know each other off the ice. Found out they had similar interests, such as video games.

And music.

"We're both big rap guys," Evangelista said. "We're always talking about it."

Rise and grind

Evangelista is on pace to play 81 games this season, which is eight fewer than he played overall last season between the Admirals and Predators.

His career high in games played was 62 in 2019-20 and 2021-22 with the London Knights in the OHL.

The grind, Evangelista said, is real.

Learning the game at NHL speed isn't the only learning he is doing.

"Sometimes you have stretches where you're playing every other day," he said. "It takes a lot out of you. You're waking up tired, sore, that kind of thing.

"Other times it can be mental. You're worried maybe you're not playing as good as you'd like and not producing the way you want. It can weigh on you."

For the most part, Evangelista has been producing the way the Predators want him to.

The kid picked in the second round of the 2020 NHL Draft is making himself right at home.

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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville Predators' Luke Evangelista is living rent-free no more