12:25 p.m.: Nashville has made the deal official, confirming the size and worth.
12:10 p.m.: The Predators are signing heart Tommy Novak to a three-year contract extension, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet experiences. Per Friedman, the deal carries an AAV of $3.5M, figuring out to $10.5M in complete worth.
As such, one of many prime worth heart choices obtainable on the commerce deadline is probably going off the market. Novak, 26, has been among the finest per-minute producers within the league since final season, accumulating 30 objectives and 77 factors in 102 video games whereas averaging solely 14:31 per contest.
It’s a substantial increase for Novak, who inked a dirt-cheap one-year, $800K extension to stay a Predator in February 2023. The Minnesota native was a third-round decide of the squad in 2015, though he performed a full 4 seasons of school puck with the College of Minnesota and one other two years of AHL and ECHL hockey earlier than making his major-league debut in 2021-22.
Now solidified as a full-time NHLer, Novak will proceed to reap the benefits of some lesser competitors whereas shouldering third-line minutes at even energy. An surprising offensive breakout from shutdown heart Colton Sissons has allowed him to occupy a second-line heart function behind Ryan O’Reilly, taking troublesome defensive matchups off Novak’s arms.
In 51 contests this yr, Novak has 13 objectives, 21 assists, 34 factors, and a -7 score whereas averaging 14:22 per recreation. Maybe his most important deficiency is his ability within the dot — he’s received simply 44.2 % of his attracts — however he’s made up for it by dominating his matchups possession-wise with a 55.8 CF share at even energy. That’s as a result of he’s among the many league leaders in even-strength offensive zone time at 45.3 %, sitting within the ninety fifth percentile amongst NHL forwards this season, per NHL EDGE.
Nashville GM Barry Trotz has his finest bottom-six menace locked in by way of 2027, at which level he’ll be a UFA. The Predators now have $22.4M in projected cap house in 2024-25 with a roster dimension of 13, which could possibly be a good squeeze to fill 10 roster spots. Nonetheless, the Predators don’t have many high-caliber pending free brokers, so Trotz ought to have some flexibility to proceed retooling Nashville’s roster as they try and ascend from playoff hopeful to championship contender.
