Canucks select Adam Novotny No. 24 overall at the 2026 NHL Draft
The Vancouver Canucks have selected winger Adam Novotny with the No. 24 overall selection of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
Novotny was projected to be selected around 15th overall on average across all of the main draft rankings, going as high as 10th and as low as 23rd. He was also ranked 14th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis projected him to go slightly lower at 17th overall.
Ellis had this to say about Novotny in his most recent draft rankings:
“Novotný is a rugged, heavy-playing forward equipped with a solid shot release. While his lack of raw production at the World Juniors was initially surprising, the underlying process was stellar; he consistently navigated into high-danger areas and generated quality chances. Any concerns about his transition to North American ice were quickly erased during a 30-goal rookie campaign, where he easily paced the Peterborough offense. Combine that offensive drive with a highly committed, responsible two-way game, and he projects strongly as a high-impact, top-six power forward at the NHL level – someone in more of the 40-50-point range.”
Novotny spent the majority of his 2025-26 season with the Peterborough Petes in the Ontario Hockey League. He played 58 regular-season games with the team, where he had 34 goals and 31 assists for 65 points as the Petes finished fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 40-24-1-3 record. The Hradec Kralove, Czechia product finished second in scoring with Peterborough, behind only Winnipeg Jets 2024 sixth-round pick Kieron Walton, and led all draft-eligible players on his team.
Novotny struggled come playoff time, as he had just one assist in six playoff games, as the Petes were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by the North Bay Battalion.
Novotny also represented Czechia on the international stage at the 2026 World Junior Championship. He managed three assists in seven games as Czechia went on to win silver.
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