Predators' Thomas Novak: Facing 4-to-6-week absence
Rotowire
Novak is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks due to an upper-body injury and was placed on injured reserve Tuesday.
Novak was putting together a fantastic start to the season with six goals and six assists, including six power-play points, through the first 14 contests. The 26-year-old center was well on his way to replicating his numbers from last season when he managed 43 points in 51 contests. Michael McCarron will join the lineup with Novak on the shelf and could even take a second-line role.
... See More... See Less
Predators' Thomas Novak: Continues to shine
Rotowire
Novak provided two assists -- including a power-play helper -- in Saturday's 7-5 loss to the Coyotes.
Nashville's third-round pick (No. 85 overall) from 2015 is finally showing he belongs in the NHL. Specifically, Novak has cashed in six goals and six assists through 14 games, with half of his point total coming on the man advantage. The Preds are in last place within the Central Division, but the 26-year-old pivot doesn't seemed to be bogged down by the overall team struggles. It will be tough for him to sustain an otherworldly shooting percentage of 23.1, though.
... See More... See Less
Predators' Thomas Novak: Two points against Oilers
Rotowire
Novak scored an even-strength goal and added a power-play assist in Saturday's 5-2 win over the Oilers.
Both points came in the second period as the Predators broke open a 1-1 game. Novak has found the scoresheet in five of the last six games, and on the season the 26-year-old has racked up six goals and nine points through 10 games. He has been demonstrating that his breakout 2022-23 campaign, in which he produced 17 goals and 43 points over 51 games, was no fluke.
... See More... See Less
Predators' Thomas Novak: Gets back in goal column
Rotowire
Novak scored a power-play goal on five shots in Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Kraken.
Novak opened the scoring in the first period with his fifth goal of the campaign. He's been solid in a middle-six role this season, and he's now exceeded 15 minutes of ice time in five straight games, posting three goals and two helpers in that span. The 26-year-old center is at seven points (four on the power play), 20 shots on net and a plus-2 rating through 10 appearances.
... See More... See Less
Predators' Thomas Novak: Scores power-play goal in loss
Rotowire
Novak scored a goal on six shots in the Predators' 6-1 loss to the Oilers on Tuesday.
Novak scored on a wrist shot in the slot to cut the Oilers' lead to 4-1 in the second period. This performance gives Novak two goals in four games to open the season. He should continue to occupy a middle-six role and a spot on the second power-play unit.
... See More... See Less
Predators' Thomas Novak: Scores goal in opener
Rotowire
Novak scored a power-play goal in Tuesday's 5-3 loss to the Lightning.
Novak scored 17 times in 51 games last season and is off to the races to open the 2023-24 campaign. The 26-year-old Minnesota native is currently anchoring the third line at even strength, but he did see 3:00 of ice time with the man advantage Tuesday, a role he will look to hold on to the rest of the way.
... See More... See Less
Predators' Thomas Novak: Leads with three-point effort
Rotowire
Novak provided two goals and an assist in Nashville's 3-2 overtime victory over Vegas on Tuesday.
Novak earned his second multi-point game in the span of just three contests, giving him three goals and seven points in that stretch. Both of his markers Tuesday were recorded in the first period, and his helper was the primary assist on Cody Glass's overtime winner. Novak has 17 goals and 41 points in 46 outings this season, which is a huge jump from his 2021-22 rookie totals of a goal and seven points in 27 appearances.
... See More... See Less
Predators' Thomas Novak: Scores again Tuesday
Rotowire
Novak tallied a goal on three shots in Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Red Wings.
Novak extended Nashville's lead to 2-0 early in the third period, deflecting a Cal Foote shot past Ville Husso. The goal would stand as the game-winner after Detroit cut the lead to 2-1 late in the frame. Novak has now scored in three straight games, logging five points (four goals and an assist) in that span. The 25-year-old forward has emerged as a legitimate scoring threat for the Predators since the middle of February, tallying nine goals and 17 points in his last 13 games while earning a regular top-six role. Novak is up to 13 goals and 15 assists through 34 games this season.
... See More... See Less
Predators' Thomas Novak: Ties game late in first period
Rotowire
Novak scored a power-play goal on two shots in Saturday's 2-1 shootout win over the Kings.
Novak snapped a five-game goal drought with the game-tying tally in the last minute of the first period. He's cooled off a bit in March, logging just two points over five contests after a stretch of 11 points in five outings in late February. The 25-year-old is up to 10 goals, 24 points (seven on the power play), 57 shots on net and a minus-1 rating through 32 appearances this season. As long as he stays in the top six, he should continue to have some fantasy appeal in deeper formats.
... See More... See Less
Predators' Thomas Novak: Lights lamp twice in win
Rotowire
Novak scored two goals, one on the power play, in Saturday's 7-3 win over the Panthers.
It's the first multi-goal game in the 25-year-old's NHL career -- in fact, he had only five tallies in 48 games coming into Saturday -- but Novak looked like a practiced sniper against Florida. He opened the scoring in the first period by whipping the puck off the post past Sergei Bobrovsky, then banked a shot from behind the net off Spencer Knight's leg midway through the third. Despite this performance, Novak's fourth-line role and usual lack of power-play time gives him little fantasy upside.
... See More... See Less
Predators' Thomas Novak: Summoned by Nashville
Rotowire
Novak was promoted by Nashville on Wednesday, according to CapFriendly.
Novak was reassigned to AHL Milwaukee on Tuesday, and he didn't miss any of Nashville's games due to his brief stint in the minors. He has four goals and 11 points in 20 contests with the Predators in 2022-23. He's also recorded 11 goals and 26 points in 25 games with Milwaukee this season.
... See More... See Less
Predators' Thomas Novak: Back with Predators
Rotowire
Novak was recalled from AHL Milwaukee on Sunday, per the AHL transaction page.
Novak has contributed four goals, 11 points and 37 shots on net in 19 appearances with the Predators this season. He should be in the lineup for Tuesday's contest against Vegas. Novak was between Yakov Trenin and Tanner Jeannot prior to the break.
... See More... See Less
Predators' Thomas Novak: Dropped to AHL affiliate
Rotowire
Novak was reassigned to AHL Milwaukee on Friday.
Novak will head to the minors for now, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him back with the big club following the NHL's All-Star break. He's picked up four goals and 11 points through 19 top-level appearances this year.
... See More... See Less
Predators' Thomas Novak: Scores goal and assist
Rotowire
Novak scored a goal and an assist on four shots, helping the Predators to a 6-3 win over Montreal on Tuesday.
The first star of Tuesday's contest, Novak scored a goal off a one-timer pass from Yakov Trenin. He would also add an assist on Roman Josi's goal later in the second period. This performance marks Novak's first multi-point game of the season and gives him six points in seven games.
... See More... See Less
Predators' Thomas Novak: Scores against Anaheim
Rotowire
Novak tallied a goal in a 6-1 win against the Ducks on Friday.
Novak scored at 10:44 of the third period to give the Predators a 4-1 edge. It was the 25-year-old's second goal and fourth point in five games with Nashville this season. He was called up from AHL Milwaukee on Tuesday and logged just 12:31 of ice time vs. Anaheim. Although Novak's been offensively productive with the Predators when given a chance this season, he shouldn't be counted on to score regularly unless he secures a bigger role.
... See More... See Less
Predators' Thomas Novak: Brought back up
Rotowire
Novak was called up from AHL Milwaukee on Tuesday.
As expected, Novak is back with the Predators after being sent down briefly during the holiday break. He has one goal and two assists in three games with Nashville this year. Look for Novak to be back on the top line Tuesday against Dallas.
... See More... See Less
Predators' Thomas Novak: Scores first goal of 2022-23
Rotowire
Novak scored a power-play goal in Nashville's 4-2 victory against Chicago on Wednesday.
Novak has a goal and two points in two contests this season. He logged 13:50 of ice time against Edmonton on Monday and 12:04 versus the Blackhawks, but he does have a spot on the second power-play unit. As long as Novak has a role with the man advantage, the 25-year-old will be worth keeping an eye on.
... See More... See Less
Predators' Thomas Novak: Earns helper in season debut
Rotowire
Novak was credited with an assist and added two shots during a 4-3 overtime victory over the visiting Oilers on Monday.
It didn't take long for Novak, who made his season debut after his recall from AHL Milwaukee, to make an impact. The 2015 third-round draft pick earned the primary helper on Mattias Ekholm's game-opening tally and recorded a plus-1 rating during 13:50 of ice time, including 1:10 on the power play. Novak compiled 26 points, including 11 goals, in 25 games with Milwaukee.
... See More... See Less
Predators' Thomas Novak: Back with big club
Rotowire
Novak was brought up from AHL Milwaukee on Monday.
Novak garnered one goal, six assists and 25 shots in 27 NHL games last season but has played all of this hockey in the minors to open the 2022-23 campaign. If Novak gets into a game for the Preds, it would likely come at the expense of Juuso Parssinen or Yakov Trenin.
... See More... See Less
Predators' Thomas Novak: Signs contract Monday
Rotowire
Novak signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Predators on Monday.
The deal carries a cap hit of $750,000 at the NHL level. Novak broke into the NHL last season at 24, pitching in seven points in 27 games. He was a bigger contributor with AHL Milwaukee, as evidenced by his 32 points in 42 contests, so the organization will likely be looking for further development before giving Novak a regular role with the big club.
