Caleb Malhotra thought that Adam Novotný was one of the biggest steals at the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
Now, Novotný might be passing him in the Canucks’ prospect rankings.
That’s no indictment of Malhotra. Even though the Canucks’ third-overall pick has just one point in five games with Boston University to start the season — an empty-net goal, at that — he’s still playing big minutes in a tough league and looking like he will break out soon.
“Malhotra is still figuring out the college game, but the skill is undeniable,” said J.D. Burke of Elite Prospects in one scouting report, adding, “Even when he’s overhandling pucks, the savvy and the touch are obvious […] I still see top-line upside.”
No, Novotný’s ascendance has a lot more to do with just how good he’s been in the OHL to start the season.
“One of the most complete, dominating efforts I can remember seeing at this level,” said Elite Prospects’ Mitchell Brown in one scouting report. “We’re in for a big year.”
Through 11 games, Novotný has seven goals and 18 points for the Peterborough Petes, on pace for 42 goals and 108 points in 66 games this season.
That’s good for fourth in OHL scoring to start the season, behind potential first-overall pick in the 2027 draft Dima Zhilkin, Zhilkin’s fortunate linemate Braidy Wassilyn, and another top prospect for 2027, Easton Walos.
Selected with the 24th-overall pick in 2026 that the Canucks acquired in the Quinn Hughes trade, Novotný is producing at a similar rate to 2024 third-overall pick Beckett Sennecke in his post-draft season in the OHL, when he had 36 goals and 86 points in 56 games — a 42-goal, 101-point pace over 66 games.
Sennecke has since gone on to be a first-line winger for the Anaheim Ducks with a 60-point rookie season last year and has started this season on a 40+ goal pace.
That’s not to say that Novotný will be as good as Sennecke, who is a special player, but that is pretty good company for Novotný to be keeping.
What sets Novotný apart from some of his peers is the speed and power in his game. He plays a high-tempo north-south game that should directly translate to the NHL, especially with his ability to win battles along the boards, and then pick corners with his shot.
“[Novotný] recovered every single puck he had a chance on and escaped with possession,” said Brown, “and even a few that didn’t seem possible.”
“He’s one of the fastest skaters nearly every time he takes the ice,” said Elite Prospects’ J.D. Burke in another scouting report, “and possesses the kind of powerful release that can credibly threaten from range.”
Novotný is also piling up shots at an astonishing rate.
Novotný leads the OHL in total shots with 52 shots in 11 games. That’s an average of 4.73 shots per game. Compare that to someone like Sennecke, who averaged 3.98 shots per game, and it becomes clear that Novotný gets the puck to the net at an elite rate.
That’s no surprise: Novotný was second in the OHL in total shots last season.
But the upside is that Novotný isn’t scoring goals at an unsustainable rate. His 13.5% shooting percentage is completely reasonable for his skill level, so it’s not outrageous to believe that he can finish the season with 40+ goals this year.
Beyond the goals, Novotný is distributing the puck at a much higher level than last season, showing the type of vision that he didn’t always have at his disposal last year.
There’s a reason why some thought Novotný might break camp with the Canucks to start this season. He has the physical maturity and type of game that ought to be plug-and-play in the NHL.
But it was likely better for his development for Novotný to return to the OHL and have this type of dominant season. There are still areas where he needs to develop, like his defensive play away from the puck and refining his technique along the boards.
Getting the reps by playing big minutes in the OHL will help in those areas.
Do not be surprised if Novotný makes a strong push to make the Canucks roster next season. With his trajectory, he should play a major role in the Canucks’ rebuild.