12:25 p.m.: Nashville has made the deal official, confirming the length and value.
12:10 p.m.: The Predators are signing center Tommy Novak to a three-year contract extension, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports. Per Friedman, the deal carries an AAV of $3.5MM, working out to $10.5MM in total value.
As such, one of the top value center options available at the trade deadline is likely off the market. Novak, 26, has been one of the best per-minute producers in the league since last season, accumulating 30 goals and 77 points in 102 games while averaging only 14:31 per contest.
It’s a considerable raise for Novak, who inked a dirt-cheap one-year, $800K extension to remain a Predator in February 2023. The Minnesota native was a third-round pick of the squad in 2015, although he played a full four seasons of college puck with the University of Minnesota and another two years of AHL and ECHL hockey before making his major-league debut in 2021-22.
Now solidified as a full-time NHLer, Novak will continue to take advantage of some lesser competition while shouldering third-line minutes at even strength. An unexpected offensive breakout from shutdown center Colton Sissons has allowed him to occupy a second-line center role behind Ryan O’Reilly, taking difficult defensive matchups off Novak’s hands.
In 51 contests this year, Novak has 13 goals, 21 assists, 34 points, and a -7 rating while averaging 14:22 per game. Perhaps his most significant deficiency is his skill in the dot — he’s won just 44.2% of his draws — but he’s made up for it by dominating his matchups possession-wise with a 55.8 CF% at even strength. That’s because he’s among the league leaders in even-strength offensive zone time at 45.3%, sitting in the 95th percentile among NHL forwards this season, per NHL EDGE.
Nashville GM Barry Trotz has his best bottom-six threat locked in through 2027, at which point he’ll be a UFA. The Predators now have $22.4MM in projected cap space in 2024-25 with a roster size of 13, which could be a tight squeeze to fill 10 roster spots. However, the Predators don’t have many high-caliber pending free agents, so Trotz should have some flexibility to continue retooling Nashville’s roster as they attempt to ascend from playoff hopeful to championship contender.
Good for him. He stuck with it and turned into a decent NHL player.
You and I have slammed the Predators for failing to develop forwards. I’ll acknowledge Novak as a win for both scouting and development. I think he was an undrafted FA. Love to see it, and good for him.
Actually, he was drafted the same year as Trenin. Played 5 years in college before going to Milwaukee. Really didn’t seem like he would be anything more than an occassional injury call up, but he found his game somewhere along the road.
Legit player now off the trade market.