With the teams second selection in the 2026 draft the Canucks selected Novotny 24th overall. It seemed like all teams had forgot he was there and the Canucks were able to scoop him up. If he can reach his upside then this will be quite the sleeper selection.

Novotny scored 34 goals and totaled 65 points in 58 games of the Peterborough Petes (OHL) during his first North American season in 2025-26. He added three assists in seven games as Team Czechia fell just shy of a Gold Medal at the 2026 World Juniors. Overall, Novotny scored five goals and tallied 12 points in 17 international contests last season.

Game Report – Peterborough Petes 1 vs North Bay Battalion 3 – October 12th, 2026

North Bay entered Monday’s matchup looking to remain undefeated on home ice, having won its first three home games of the season despite losing all five on the road. Standing in its way were the Peterborough Petes, led by Vancouver Canucks first-round pick Adam Novotny, who had recorded nine points in seven games entering the contest.

Less than a minute into the game, 2027 NHL Draft-eligible forward Camryn Warren beat out an icing call, found open space to receive a pass just above the left faceoff dot, and beat the Peterborough goaltender cleanly on the glove side to give North Bay an early 1-0 lead.

Shamar Moses brought the physicality early, landing big hits and applying constant pressure on the forecheck, making it difficult for Peterborough’s defenders to exit their own zone.

A few moments later, Peterborough’s Mason Minsky recognized the weak defensive coverage in front of the net and called for the puck. James McMurray delivered a great backhand pass from behind the net to Minsky, who buried the opportunity to tie the game at 1-1.

Warren continued to make his presence felt in the offensive zone, outmuscling Peterborough defenseman Matthew Perreault as he attempted to make a breakout pass. After forcing the turnover, Warren drove to the net and fired a shot that was saved by Peterborough goaltender Matthew Koprowski.

On the power play, Camryn Warren skated the entire perimeter of the offensive zone with the puck before finding Shamar Moses for a one-timer that nearly resulted in a goal. Later on the same power play, Evgeny Dubrovtsev took a seemingly harmless wrist shot from the left faceoff dot that Koprowski allowed past him, giving North Bay a 2-1 lead.

Moments later, Peterborough took another penalty, giving North Bay another power play. Ryder Carey received a pass to the right of the goaltender along the goal line. With no defender between himself and the goalie, Carey drove hard to the net and jammed the puck in to extend the Battalion’s lead to 3-1.

To the ire of the home fans, a North Bay rush was called offside on a very close play, drawing boos from the crowd. To make matters worse, North Bay was also assessed a too-many-men penalty on the same play. Peterborough pushed hard on the power play, including a net-front toe drag by Adam Novotny that nearly beat the goaltender, but North Bay managed to kill off the penalty.

Warren continued to cause problems for Peterborough’s defense in the second period. On a give-and-go, he flew past the blue line and beat the Peterborough goaltender cleanly with a move to his backhand. However, a Peterborough defender took a penalty to prevent Warren from sliding the puck into the open net.

Aside from a couple of strong shifts driven by Adam Novotny, North Bay was the better team in every period, particularly in the second, when the Battalion recorded 17 shots while allowing Peterborough just 5. North Bay’s dominant performance was enough to secure a 3-1 victory, extending its undefeated home record to 4-0.

Game Thoughts

Adam Novotny got off to a hot start this season alongside Cooper Dennis, recording 4 goals and 3 assists in their first 5 games together. However, since the two were separated, Novotny has failed to score a goal, managing just 2 assists in 3 games and 0 points over his last 2 games. Peterborough’s offense has also suffered, dropping from an average of 3.8 goals per game to just 2 over that same stretch.

Michael’s Monthly: September

Man did the Petes come to play in this one. Led by their returning superstar, Adam Novotný, who put up 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 points. Although Sarnia scored first, the Petes quickly took over the game. Sarnia only scored again during the power play.

Weekly 2026 Draft Eligible Three Stars

Adam Novotný | LW | Peterborough Petes (OHL) Czech winger Adam Novotný continues to impress in his first season of North American hockey. The slick shooter is third in the OHL among draft-eligible players in goals with 30, behind only Nikita Klepov (33) of the Saginaw Spirit and Ethan Belchetz (32) of the Windsor Spitfires. Novotný, who served as the captain for Team East, was sensational in January at the Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game with a pair of goals. The Hradec Kralove, Czechia, native opened the week on Family Day with a goal and an assist to earn first-star honors in a 3-2 shootout win for the Petes over the Kitchener Rangers. He followed it up with a goal on a great individual effort to pot a goal with just under two minutes left in the contest against the North Bay Battalion to make it 5-4 in a game the Petes would ultimately fall in. The former Mountfield HK player added a goal and an assist in his team’s third contest of the week against the Brampton Steelheads. Novotný saved his best for last, helping the Petes in a big way to take down the Brantford Bulldogs on Sunday. Early in the first period, the 6-foot-1 winger swiped down a clearing attempt by the Bulldogs and stepped in to snipe a wrist shot off the bar and in to open the scoring. He continued to hound the Bulldogs all game with nine shots, but none was bigger than his overtime winner. With the Petes on the power play, Novotný took a pass before a couple of strides and picked his spot with a seeing-eye wrist shot over the glove of David Egorov.

Weekly 2026 Draft Eligible Three Stars

The 2025–26 Canadian Hockey League season is shaping up to be another showcase of emerging star power, with several draft-eligible talents making their mark early. Top prospects are wasting no time turning heads coast-to-coast, from a scorching start in Kamloops to dominant play down the middle in Oshawa and a power-play clinic in Peterborough. J.P. Hurlbert has been the talk of the Western Hockey League with a torrid scoring pace that’s drawing historic comparisons, Brooks Rogowski is using his size and skill to elevate his draft stock, and Adam Novotny continues to prove why he’s one of the Ontario Hockey League’s most dangerous young wingers. Here’s a closer look at three standout performances that defined this past week for draft eligibles.

J.P Hurlbert | RW | Kamloops Blazers

J.P. Hurlbert’s start to the Western Hockey League campaign has gotten people in hockey very excited for his pro potential. The 5-foot-11, 176 pound winger leads the league in points after roughly two weeks of regular season play with 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) in 11 games.

The Allen, Texas, native, who joined Kamloops via the United States National Development Team Program U17 team, continued to build on his hot start with eight points (two goals, six assists) in four contests in the past week. The two-way forward started his week contributing an assist on all four Blazers goals in a 4-3 overtime win over the Regina Pats. He followed it up with a goal and an assist on Thursday in a 7-5 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors. Hurlbert drove the net and popped in a rebound to pick up his 11th goal in ten games on Friday, but the Blazers fell 6-3 to the Brandon Wheat Kings. Hurlbert was held off the scoresheet on Sunday during a 3-2 shootout loss to the Swift Current Broncos. It wasn’t for lack of trying, as he had 13 shot attempts with five hitting the target. Defensively, he was credited with six shot blocks in the contest.

Hurlbert’s hot start has him on pace for a 68 goal, 80 assist, 148 point season, which would be the third-best draft-eligible season in the WHL behind Rob Brown’s 173 points in 1985-86 and Ken Yaremchuk’s 157 points in 1981-82. It would put him five points ahead of what Connor Bedard accomplished in 2022-23.

Brooks Rogowski | C | Oshawa Generals

In a draft year without a definite number one center, there is plenty of room for the young men who play down the middle to up their draft stock. Brooks Rogowski of the Oshawa Generals could find himself in that conversation.

The Brighton, Michigan, native has excellent size and has shown a knack for getting on the scoresheet. The 6-foot-6, 227 pound middleman is averaging the second most ice time for forwards with an average of 22:15, behind only Columbus Blue Jackets fifth-round pick Owen Griffin.

Rogowski opened the week by tying up the score 2-2 on the power play by collecting a rebound off a Hoaxi Wang shot and shoveling it past the Windsor Spitfires goaltender. He added a goal and an assist on Thursday night in a 7-3 loss to the Peterborough Petes. He led the Generals forwards in ice time on Saturday in a 7-1 drubbing of the Generals by the Kingston Frontenacs. He finished off the week with a four-assist afternoon as the Generals avenged its earlier loss to Peterborough, besting them 6-4.

Adam Novotny | LW | Peterborough Petes

Adam Novotny is an early favorite to land somewhere in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft, and his start with Peterborough is sure to keep him in those talks. After spending the 2024-25 season split between junior national team duties and Mountfield HK’s pro team, the 6-foot-1 winger has acclimatized well to the OHL with 11 points in 11 games.

Novotny opened his scoring for the week by being in the perfect place to pop a rebound by the Oshawa Generals’ goalkeeper to give the Petes a 4-1 lead in the second period. He added an assist later in the contest, making a slick move around a Generals defender and firing a shot that left a juicy rebound that teammate Matthew Soto pushed home. He wasn’t done there; Novotny put the game way out of reach after some good passing by the Petes’ power play. Novotny took a feed, waited a second for traffic to set up, and wired a wrist shot that the Generals keeper had no chance to get.

Novotny continued to show his prowess on the power play throughout the week. During his team’s second contest of the OHL’s inaugural Rivalry Week, he took a feed while the Petes were on a 5-on-3 and wired a one-timer to put his team ahead 2-0. He added another power play marker in his team’s final contest of the week. After skating the puck up the ice, Novotny fed the point and then set up for a return pass. After getting the puck back, he stepped in and wired a wrist shot that had eyes for the back of the net.

Peterborough Petes vs Brantford Bulldogs Game Reports

#16 LW Adam Novotný, Peterborough Petes (OHL), 6’1” 204lbs, L, DOB 11.13.2007 Adam Novotný is a steady, well-rounded winger who plays a reliable game, although he was fairly quiet for the Petes in this one. He showcased some flashes of his skill and potential in small spurts that ultimately didn’t amount to anything substantial. His skating is a strong asset; he moves fluidly, uses crossovers well to generate speed, and has enough pace to challenge defenders wide or keep pressure on the forecheck. While not a burner, his stride is efficient, helping him sustain tempo throughout shifts. Offensively, Novotný shows the most confidence as a distributor. His vision, particularly on the power play, allows him to identify gaps and make clean passes under pressure. He is not shy about carrying the puck into traffic and can execute possession plays in tight areas. His shot is serviceable and accurate enough to finish opportunities, though it lacks the deceptive release or raw power of more natural goal scorers. He looked more comfortable as a secondary scoring option who complements more dynamic linemates rather than driving offence on his own. Defensively, he uses his size and long reach to close off passing lanes and apply pressure along the boards. He is positionally sound and demonstrated good habits in his own zone, though his physical game is somewhat inconsistent. At times, he can separate opponents from the puck effectively, but he does not consistently impose himself physically. Continued development in this area, paired with his reliable stick work, would make him a more impactful two-way presence. Novotný projects as a middle-six winger who can be trusted in multiple situations, including special teams. His skating, vision, and all-around responsibility give him a safe floor as a supportive player who contributes secondary offence while not being a defensive liability. His style of play resembles that of Alex Killorn, a versatile forward who complements skill with dependable two-way play and provides consistent, though unspectacular, offensive production.

DRAFTPRO – 2023 FALL INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT REVIEW

#16 F Adam Novotny, Czechia (2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge), 6’0” 174lbs, L, DOB 11.13.2007 Novotny was probably the best player for Czechia and that was obvious. He finished the game with a goal and an assist. He is an excellent skater, extremely fast, and has great crossovers, turns and edgework. He combines all these skills to blow by players when leading the rush and driving to the net. For his size, he leaves a lot on the table in terms of physicality. He could pin players along the boards and outmuscle them in front of either net, however, he does not. Adding a physical element to his game would help him a lot. His passes are excellent and extremely accurate. He has a wide range of passes but his cross-ice ones are the best in his arsenal. He made a good pass to the other side of the ice for an assist on the second goal. He did a good job getting it through multiple defenders’ sticks. He does a good job at making look like he’s going to shoot before ultimately passing. He had a bad turnover in the defensive zone holding on to the puck too long waiting to make the perfect pass. Sometimes he needs to dish it off and ensure the team maintains possession. He is an extremely fast skater who utilizes crossovers very well. He is a very aggressive player defensively and he was able to steal the puck with some nice stick lifts as a result. Being aggressive could cost him because he may overcommit to a player and then get beat and be out of position as a result. He has an excellent shot that is extremely powerful. He was able to score the goal off a long wrist shot. – Zach Morris

The 18-year-old forward projects as an NHL-level shooter with a solid two-way game. Novotny projects as a top-six forward at the NHL level with potential top-line ability. He is expected to be drafted in the top half of the 2026 NHL Draft.