# Tommy Novak

Tommy Novak (born April 28, 1997) is an American professional ice hockey forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted with the 85th overall pick by the Nashville Predators in the third round of the 2015 NHL entry draft.

## Early life

Novak was born on April 28, 1997, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, to John and Pat Novak. Although he was born in Minnesota, Novak was raised in River Falls, Wisconsin.

## 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. 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.
Novak played the 2015–16 season with the University of Minnesota. After his college career, he signed a one-year American Hockey League (AHL) contract with the Milwaukee Admirals in 2019. He signed an entry-level contract with Nashville on March 25, 2020, and played in his first NHL game on October 19, 2021.
On March 4, 2024, the Predators re-signed Novak to a three-year, $10.5 million contract. Approximately one year later, 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.

## International play

Novak helped lead the United States national under-18 team to a bronze medal at the 2014 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, and he recorded seven points in four games as a member of the United States national junior team at the 2014 World Junior A Challenge.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2011–12 | St. Thomas Academy | USHS | 25 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 2 |
| 2012–13 | St. Thomas Academy | USHS | 25 | 25 | 22 | 47 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 0 |
| 2013–14 | St. Thomas Academy | USHS | 25 | 26 | 44 | 70 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 2 |
| 2013–14 | U.S. National Development Team | USHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | Waterloo Black Hawks | USHL | 46 | 14 | 34 | 48 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | U. of Minnesota | B1G | 37 | 6 | 21 | 27 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | U. of Minnesota | B1G | 20 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2017–18 | U. of Minnesota | B1G | 34 | 3 | 23 | 26 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | U. of Minnesota | B1G | 38 | 4 | 17 | 21 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | Milwaukee Admirals | AHL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019–20 | Milwaukee Admirals | AHL | 60 | 11 | 31 | 42 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21 | Florida Everblades | ECHL | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21 | Chicago Wolves | AHL | 27 | 8 | 24 | 32 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021–22 | Milwaukee Admirals | AHL | 42 | 7 | 27 | 34 | 16 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 |
| 2021–22 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 27 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022–23 | Milwaukee Admirals | AHL | 25 | 11 | 15 | 26 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022–23 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 51 | 17 | 26 | 43 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023–24 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 71 | 18 | 27 | 45 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024–25 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 52 | 13 | 9 | 22 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 201 | 49 | 68 | 117 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2014 | United States | IH18 | | 5 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 2 |
| Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | 5 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 2 |

## Awards and honors

| Award | Year |
| USHL |||
| CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game | 2014 |
| All-Rookie Second Team | 2015 |
| International |||
| Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament bronze medal | 2014 |