Tommy Novak

Tommy Novak
Born (1997-04-28) April 28, 1997
Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 191 lb (87 kg; 13 st 9 lb)
Position Center
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Pittsburgh Penguins
Nashville Predators
NHL draft 85th overall, 2015
Nashville Predators
Playing career 2019–present

Thomas Novak (born April 28, 1997) is an American professional ice hockey forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted with the 85th overall pick by the Nashville Predators in the third round of the 2015 NHL entry draft.

Early life

Novak was born on April 28, 1997, in Saint Paul, Minnesota,[1] to John and Pat Novak.[2] Although he was born in Minnesota, Novak was raised in River Falls, Wisconsin.[3]

Playing career

After three years of high school hockey at Saint Thomas Academy, Novak joined the Waterloo Black Hawks for the 2014–15 USHL season.[4] Novak's outstanding play with the Black Hawks was rewarded when he was invited to skate in the 2014 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game.[5] In June 2015, Novak was drafted by the Nashville Predators in the third round of the 2015 NHL entry draft.[6]

Novak played college ice hockey for the Minnesota Golden Gophers from 2015 to 2019.[7][8]

After his college career, he signed with the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League (AHL) on March 20, 2019.[9]

He signed an entry-level contract with Nashville on March 25, 2020,[10] and played in his first NHL game on October 19, 2021.[11][12] On December 17, 2021, Novak scored his first NHL goal, against Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Marc-André Fleury in a 3–2 Nashville win.[13]

In July 2022, Novak re-signed with Nashville on a one-year contract.[14] On February 8, 2023, he signed a new one-year contract with Nashville.[15] Novak finished the 2022–23 NHL season with 17 goals.[16]

On November 14, 2023, Novak was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.[16] He returned to the line-up on December 7 after missing 11 games.[17] On March 4, 2024, the Predators re-signed Novak to a three-year, $10.5 million contract.[18]

On March 5, 2025, Novak was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, alongside Luke Schenn, in exchange for Michael Bunting and a fourth-round draft pick.[19]

International play

Novak helped lead the United States national under-18 team to a bronze medal at the 2014 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament,[20] and he recorded seven points in four games as a member of the United States national junior team at the 2014 World Junior A Challenge.[21]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011–12 St. Thomas Academy USHS 25 14 20 34 0 6 4 5 9 2
2012–13 St. Thomas Academy USHS 25 25 22 47 6 6 3 7 10 0
2013–14 St. Thomas Academy USHS 25 26 44 70 8 3 4 4 8 2
2013–14 U.S. National Development Team USHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2014–15 Waterloo Black Hawks USHL 46 14 34 48 12 — — — — —
2015–16 U. of Minnesota B1G 37 6 21 27 4 — — — — —
2016–17 U. of Minnesota B1G 20 5 9 14 10 — — — — —
2017–18 U. of Minnesota B1G 34 3 23 26 8 — — — — —
2018–19 U. of Minnesota B1G 38 4 17 21 4 — — — — —
2018–19 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 3 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
2019–20 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 60 11 31 42 18 — — — — —
2020–21 Florida Everblades ECHL 3 1 2 3 0 — — — — —
2020–21 Chicago Wolves AHL 27 8 24 32 4 — — — — —
2021–22 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 42 7 27 34 16 6 1 5 6 2
2021–22 Nashville Predators NHL 27 1 6 7 2 — — — — —
2022–23 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 25 11 15 26 2 — — — — —
2022–23 Nashville Predators NHL 51 17 26 43 8 — — — — —
2023–24 Nashville Predators NHL 71 18 27 45 8 6 0 0 0 0
2024–25 Nashville Predators NHL 52 13 9 22 4 — — — — —
2024–25 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
NHL totals 203 49 68 117 22 6 0 0 0 0

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2014 United States IH18 5 5 6 11 2
Junior totals 5 5 6 11 2

Awards and honors

Award Year Ref
USHL
CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game 2014 [22]
All-Rookie Second Team 2015

References

  1. ^ "Tommy Novak". Elite Prospects. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  2. ^ "Tom Novak". Team USA Hockey. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  3. ^ Skrbina, Paul (November 14, 2023). "The improbable, unnoticed rise of Nashville Predators center Tommy Novak". The Tennessean. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  4. ^ "High school hockey: Tommy Novak leaving STA to play in USHL". August 14, 2014.
  5. ^ "Novak lurking on edge of center pool in 2015 Draft". NHL.com.
  6. ^ "2015 NHL Draft: Nashville Predators Select Thomas Novak 85th Overall in 3rd Round". On the Forecheck. June 27, 2015. Archived from the original on June 30, 2015.
  7. ^ Wells, Nathan (December 3, 2014). "Minnesota signs 6 during early signing period". SB Nation College Hockey.
  8. ^ "Tommy Novak – Men's Hockey". University of Minnesota Athletics.
  9. ^ "Novak Signs ATO with Milwaukee Admirals". March 20, 2019.
  10. ^ "Predators Sign Tommy Novak to Two-Year, Entry-Level Contract". NHL.com. March 25, 2020.
  11. ^ "Predators goalie Connor Ingram makes NHL debut after personal struggles". The Tennessean.
  12. ^ "Game Day: Rangers vs. Preds Preview". NHL.com. October 21, 2021.
  13. ^ "Predators push winning streak to seven with OT goal against Blackhawks | NHL.com". www.nhl.com. December 18, 2021.
  14. ^ "Predators Sign Tommy Novak to One-Year, Two-Way Contract | Nashville Predators". www.nhl.com. July 18, 2022.
  15. ^ "Predators Sign Tommy Novak to One-Year, $800,000 Contract | Nashville Predators". www.nhl.com. February 8, 2023.
  16. ^ a b "Nashville Predators Place Tommy Novak On IR". Pro Hockey Rumors. November 14, 2023.
  17. ^ Kimmel, Ann (December 8, 2023). "Tommy Novak on His Return to the Lineup: "It Was a Good Step"". The Hockey News.
  18. ^ "Predators Sign Tommy Novak to Three-Year, $10.5 Million Contract". NHL.com. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  19. ^ "Penguins trade Bunting to Predators for Schenn, Novak, ship Desharnais to Sharks". NHL.com. National Hockey League. March 5, 2025. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  20. ^ "Teammates On Same Track To The Top | USA Hockey Magazine". www.usahockeymagazine.com.
  21. ^ Kerr, Ben (May 5, 2015). "2015 NHL Draft Profile #35: Thomas Novak".
  22. ^ Kennedy, Ryan. "The All-American Prospects Game will be loaded this year". The Hockey News on Sports Illustrated.
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