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]
