VANCOUVER -- Luke Evangelista admits he was a bit starstruck when the Nashville Predators rookie forward got to training camp and met one of his new teammates.
"Luke Schenn was the first jersey I ever had," the 22-year-old said. "First [Maple] Leafs jersey I ever had."
Schenn, a 34-year-old defenseman, was entering his 16th NHL season after signing a three-year contract with the Predators on July 1, 2023. But that conversation with Evangelista might have hit harder than any body check or blocked shot he's dealt with.
Evangelista was a second-round pick (No. 42) by Nashville at the 2020 NHL Draft, 12 years after Schenn went No. 5 to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
"That one caught me off guard a little bit for sure," Schenn said. "I remember Jamal Mayers telling me when I first broke into the League at 18 years old, he said, 'Hey, always be nice to the 5- and 6-year-olds, one day they're going to be your teammates.' And I didn't really know what he meant by that. But now I understand."
Evangelista has had a lot to enjoy during his first full NHL season. He had 39 points (16 goals, 23 assists) in 80 games, and has one goal in five Stanley Cup Playoff games.
The chance to spend time around Schenn has been among Evangelista’s favorite parts of life as a pro.
"He always says you never want to meet your idols, but I always tell him, ‘No, you're great. You're way cooler than I thought,’” Evangelista said. “He's been a super fun guy to get to know."
Evangelista has gotten to meet some other hockey legends since his childhood thanks to Hockey Hall of Famer Brendan Shanahan, his mother's cousin.
"One of the memories I have was he was playing for New York and they're playing in Toronto, my hometown, and he had me and my family come down for morning skate," Evangelista said. "I kind of got that behind-the-scenes access that most kids growing up that age usually don't get. You meet some stars; I remember getting my picture with Jaromir Jagr, that kind of thing. He's been a cool influence, you know, somebody kind of look up to and make you realize the dream is possible."