Filip Novak – 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Profile – The Hockey Writers –

Filip Novak

2025-26 Team: HC Sparta Praha (Czechia)
Date of Birth: Mar. 07, 2008
Place of Birth: Chomutov, CZE
Ht: 6-foot-1 Wt: 198 pounds
Shoots: L
Position: LW
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2026 first-year eligible

Rankings

At the beginning of the draft season, I made a note to keep an eye on Filip Novak at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Low and behold, he had a decent showing for Czechia at the tournament, finishing with four points in four games. While he had a great showing, his play in this league took off as he was a dominant and standout performer in the Czechia U20 league.

Novak finished off the season as a point per game player with 35 points in 28 games with HC Sparta Praha. To top it all off, he even got some pro experience with the pro team, as well as being loaned to HC Stadion Litoměřice of the second Czechia league posting four assists in 11 games and added another four goals and six points in 10 playoff games. Novak has been able to elevate his play at every level and that should do wonders for his draft stock.

Novak isn’t a flashy player, but he’s effective when it comes to his decision making, reads and overall play. He’s sound positionally as he’s always following the play and making himself available as a potential shooting option or an option on cycle plays in the offensive zone. 

He’s an effective two-way player that can be reliable on both sides of the puck while showing a strong willingness to battle and compete. 

He utilizes his 6-foot-1, 198-pound frame very well, showing great puck protection skills and uses his smooth skating stride to get around defenders. He does a great job to keep plays alive and is constantly being a factor while he’s always creating quality looks. While he’s an average skater, he has good movement and the combination of his size, hands and feet allow him to succeed in tight spaces on the ice. He has great control and shows great patience as he doesn’t force plays and is always connecting with his teammates.

Novak is opportunistic with his scoring chances as he always finds himself in the right spots for quality looks. He has a good shot but lacks the power that other players have. Though, he’s quick to pounce on second opportunities and getting the dangerous chances, especially in front of the net to take away the goalies’ sight of the puck. He’s great at spotting passing lanes, takes charge when he has the puck and it shows when he’s on the ice.

Novak also shows great tendencies, awareness and doing the little things right to benefit his team. He knows exactly where he needs to be to apply pressure and break up plays. He does a great job to shadow players and not give them any room to work with. He’s aggressive and battles hard in order to disrupt plays and regain possession.

Other THW Draft Profiles

Filip Novak- NHL Draft Projection

Given how productive and consistent he has been this season, Novak hasn’t been getting a lot of attention from outlets in terms of being an early pick. Central Scouting has him at a decent range and two of our rankers at The Hockey Writers, including myself, have him as a second rounder. Even though he may not be ranked that high compared to other outlets, he could still be a decent and valuable pickup as a third rounder. 

Quotables

“He plays a controlled, low-risk game built around supporting the puck, reading coverage, and extending possession through short passes and positional awareness. Offensively, he is most effective between the dots, where he distributes to wingers, activates defensemen, and helps drive play as a connective pivot rather than a pure line-driver. Defensively, he stays within structure, protects the middle of the ice, and consistently makes responsible reads.” – Marek Novotny, McKeen’s Hockey

“Novak steps up as a main play-driver for every team he plays for. He is glued to the puck and has a muscular frame that’s hard to knock around. His stickhandling isn’t flashy, and many of his scoring chances turn into jams in front of the net, but his drive into the slot and aggression in the neutral zone is admirable.” – Gabe Foley, Recruit Scouting 

“He is most proficient between the hash marks in the bumper position on the power play and when setting screens and tracking rebounds around the crease, but he has also shown the ability to make quick decisions with the puck on his stick working off the flank.” – Jason Bukala, Sportsnet  

Strengths

• Competitive and well-rounded
• Strong defensive and reliable game
• Great positioning for opportunities and chances
• Great hands and puck control
• Play driver and always in control

Under Construction- Improvements to Make

• Average skater, needs to work on speed
• Physical strength needs to improve
• No elite traits, but still effective
• Good shot, but could add more power 

NHL Potential

While he’s been a prominent producer at the junior level and has even translated well to the pro level in Czechia, Novak still feels like a player that could be a reliable bottom-six player, mainly in a third line role. He’s a mix of energy and skill that is suited to thrive in that role and given the smarts and ability to make an impact in all three zones he definitely has a lot of potential and upside.

Risk- Reward Analysis

Risk- 2.5/5, Reward 3.5/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense- 6/10, Defense 7/10

Awards/ Achievements

Novak won a silver medal for Czechia at the 2023-24 Youth Olympic Games.

Filip Novak Stats

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