The Nashville Predators re-signed center Tommy Novak to a three-year, $10.5 million contract extension Monday. Novak, who has 34 points this season as the Predators’ third-line center, was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
As an 18-year-old, Novak was picked No. 85 overall by Nashville in the 2015 NHL Draft. However, he did not debut with the Predators until 2021 and instead attended/played college hockey for the University of Minnesota.
The St. Paul, Minnesota native is closing in on his best NHL season. He had 43 points on 17 goals and 26 assists in the 2022-23 campaign for Nashville. This year, he has 13 goals and 21 assists in 51 games.
Novak, an up-and-comer for the Predators
At 26 years old, Novak is seen as an up-and-comer for the Predators. He has established himself as a full-time player for Nashville in his third NHL season. Novak told NHL.com that he was grateful to be inked to a longer-term deal with the team that drafted him:
“It’s really special, and I’m just really grateful for the organization giving me the opportunities that I’ve gotten. Just to have that security and to be here for the next three years, I can just focus on playing hockey now. Not that I wasn’t before, but it just gives you peace of mind for sure.”
Nashville, Novak surging toward a playoff spot
Novak has yet to play in the Stanley Cup playoffs because he was left off Nashville’s playoff roster in the last two seasons. However, that may be about to change. That’s because the Predators — with Novak now a valued member of the roster — are on an eight-game winning streak that has boosted the team’s record to 35-25-2. Heading into Monday’s games, Nashville is tied with the Los Angeles Kings for the top Western Conference Wild Card slot.
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Tom Carothers is a sportswriter with more than 20 years of experience covering sports at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels. Still longing for the return of his Minnesota North Stars, he has a high pain tolerance as a big fan of the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Browns, and Tottenham Hotspur. You can follow him on X at @tomcarothers.