The Nashville Predators got out in front of the headlines this week signing forward Tommy Novak to a three-year contract worth $10.5 million on Monday afternoon. He took a lap around the ice with his teammates stick-tapping for him as he jetted around the rink.
Captain Roman Josi also took a lap before Novak for being named the NHL’s first star of the week, but today is about Novak signing his first multi-year NHL deal.
“It’s definitely something you think about and to have that security to be here for the next three years I can just focus on playing hockey now,” Novak said. “Not that I wasn’t before, but it just gives me peace of mind.”
After playing four years of NCAA hockey and three years at the AHL level, Novak has etched his name into the lineup with the Nashville Predators for the last two years.
Thinking back to his journey Novak was thankful the Predators gave him early on and he hopes to continue that as the team is currently in a playoff spot before taking on the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.
“It’s nerve-racking, talking about a lot of money for me,” Novak said. “When you get to the rink you just try to play hockey and play at your best. It’s super nice to get it done.”
The St. Paul, Minnesota native already talked about the new deal with his parents before going to practice. Tommy and his parents reminisced on the days he was a young skater to now.
“My mom right away had flashbacks to when I was going to try out for my first AAA team,” Novak said. “I was too nervous to get out of the car, I didn’t want to go in, and said my stomach ached. She pushed me to go in and the rest was history.”
This season Novak had struggled at times after being injured to start the season. Novak has battled back and for him, it came down to the right opportunities coming on the ice.
Cody Glass celebrates his goal against the Colorado Avalanche on March 2, 2024, with forward Tommy Novak.
“It really comes down to working hard and your bounces will come,” Novak said. “Once they come is when the confidence comes as well. A lot of times you can’t control it, the puck is going in or whatnot, but once you get on a little bit of a roll you try to keep it as much as you can.”
Even going back to his days at the University of Minnesota Novak had his spells of inconsistencies there but found a way to grab the attention of NHL scouts and get drafted by Nashville 85th overall in 2015.
Cody Glass has been there along for the ride as well being a linemate of Novak’s before making the jump full-time to the NHL last season.
“He’s a special guy. I got to know him well when I was in Milwaukee,” Glass said of Novak. “Now he’s a groomsman in my wedding this summer and we’ve become pretty close. It’s about time he found me in the slot since he’s going to be in the wedding, he owed me something.”
The two worked their way to being core pieces to Nashville’s lineup and now – at least for the next season – the duo will be making more plays together like they did on Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche.
Now the Predators go for nine wins in a row on Tuesday after taking down Colorado 5-1 over the weekend.
“Pressuring and not giving time and space, that’s been our MO it’s been frustrating teams, and staying on top of them smothers them,” Novak said of his team’s play as of late.
Follow Nick Kieser on Twitter/X: @KieserNick
Photos courtesy of Nashville Predators
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