The Pittsburgh Penguins re-signed Tommy Novak to a three-year, $13.95 million contract extension on Friday morning, keeping the Saint Paul, Minnesota native on the town for not less than the remainder of this decade, the team announced.
“I believe the number and clearly them reaching out before the season, it’s clear that they imagine in me to proceed to take steps and so they value me as a part of the team,” Novak said shortly after signing, per NHL.com’s Michelle Crechiolo.
“So yeah, it’s awesome for me, and really completely satisfied about it. I’m really having fun with being a Penguin and I’m completely satisfied to proceed to accomplish that.”
Novak was set to be an unrestricted free agent following the 2026-27 season, but will now remain under Pittsburgh’s control until the summer of 2030.
The 29-year-old enjoyed a powerful first full season in Pennsylvania after coming over from the Nashville Predators within the trade that sent Michael Bunting to Tennessee in March of 2025.
Novak suffered a stress fracture in his leg two games into his Pens tenure, and missed the rest of the 2024-25 NHL season. But he was productive in 2025-26, playing in a full 82-game slate and recording 16 goals and 42 points.
That is his best campaign since 2023-24, when he amassed 45 points in 71 games with the Preds.
Originally chosen within the third-round of the 2015 NHL Draft by Nashville, Novak had a powerful begin to his skilled profession. After a terrific start with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals in 2022-23 — he scored 26 points in 25 games — he was called as much as the massive leagues.
And it was an outstanding showing for Novak, who managed 43 points in 51 games to ascertain himself as one in all the intense young forwards on the Predators’ roster.
However it was tough sledding after that; Novak chipped in 45 points in 71 games the subsequent 12 months, and was at just 22 points in 52 games in 2024-25 before being traded to Pittsburgh.
It looks like the previous Minnesota Golden Gopher has found some latest life following a change of scenery, and he’ll hope to construct on an encouraging 2025-26 season with the club.
He split time between center and the wing, and in addition averaged 14:17 of time on ice per game overall — more time he’s received in any season apart from his 2022-23 breakout campaign.
Novak earned increasingly trust from head coach Dan Muse because the campaign progressed, eventually seeing top-six minutes and spending a superb deal of time with Evgeni Malkin on his wing.
He also appeared in six Stanley Cup Playoff games, registering two assists because the Penguins were beaten by the Philadelphia Flyers within the Battle of Pennsylvania in Round 1.
Novak proved last season he could be a viable secondary scorer for a playoff-caliber team, and he’ll hope to enhance further in 2026-27 because the Penguins look to return to the dance next spring.
The Pittsburgh Penguins re-signed Tommy Novak to a three-year, $13. 95 million contract extension on Friday morning, keeping the Saint Paul, Minnesota native on the town for not less than the remainder of this decade, the team announced.