Filip Novák
H/W: 6-foot-1, 198 pounds
Position: LW, Shoots: L
Date of Birth: 2008-03-07
Club: HC Sparta Praha (Czechia)
Novák is a possession-oriented, detail-driven center who has followed a traditional Czech development path through Sparta Praha’s system without being rushed into a full-time professional role. At the junior level, particularly in U20 competition, he has been a reliable offensive driver whose value stems from intelligence, puck management, and structure rather than high-end individual tools.
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.
There is no single elite trait in his profile, but Novák brings a collection of average to slightly above-average tools that project toward NHL utility if development breaks right. His path to the NHL is built on reliability, hockey sense, and adaptability. In a positive development scenario, he projects as a bottom six NHL center who can support puck possession, contribute in defensive situations, and provide low-mistake minutes. At minimum, he profiles as a strong AHL center with organizational value and potential NHL call-up utility; his offensive ceiling is limited by average skating, average shot power, and lack of dynamic elements.
Skating
Novák is a technically sound skater with a clean stride and good posture. He generates adequate power through his lower half and can maintain speed through traffic, which allows him to stay involved in transition as a support option.
Here he generates good drive through his lower half, allowing him to accelerate quickly and create separation from the defender. While he is not an explosive skater, this ability to build speed efficiently helps him escape pressure and move the play into space.
His straight-line speed projects as average at the NHL level. He does not consistently beat defenders wide, and his first-step acceleration is not a differentiating trait. Edge work is functional but lacks sharpness, particularly when changing directions laterally along the half wall or at the top of the offensive zone.
Defensively, his skating is more noticeable. He tracks well through the middle of the ice and maintains positioning, which helps him stay above the puck and provide back pressure.
Overall, his skating should be serviceable at the pro level.
GRADE: 50
Shot
Novák owns a quick, compact wrist shot with decent accuracy from mid-range. He is comfortable shooting in stride and does not require much time or space to release the puck, which allows him to maintain offensive flow in
This clip shows Novák’s quick, compact wrist shot in action. He releases the puck cleanly without telegraphing, and his accuracy allows him to find small openings.
This sequence highlights how comfortable Novák is shooting in stride. He does not need much time to get the puck off his blade, which allows him to maintain the flow of play and create scoring chances even in transitional situations.
Most of his scoring comes from timing and positioning rather than power. He arrives late into space, shoots through light traffic, and shows awareness around rebounds.
This clip demonstrates how Novák arrives late into open space, finding the soft spot in the defense, which allows him to drive in for a rebound
His one-timer is below average in both power and timing, and he does not project as a primary shooting threat on the flank of a power play.
From distance, his shot lacks weight, and against professional goaltenders it is unlikely to be a consistent scoring tool.
This sequence illustrates why Novák’s shot from the perimeter is limited. From a distance, his release is quick and accurate, but the puck lacks the speed and heaviness.
With additional strength, he could become a modest secondary scoring threat, but the shot profiles more as functional than dangerous.
GRADE: 50
Skills
Novák’s puck skills are tidy, reliable, and well-suited to a center role. He handles the puck comfortably in tight areas, processes pressure efficiently and rarely fumbles receptions. His strongest offensive attribute is his combined stickhandling + passing ability.
Novák is comfortable taking possession and carrying the puck through all three zones. He shows confidence in keeping the puck on his stick and is willing to challenge multiple defenders. His stickhandling allows him to navigate through traffic, maintain control under pressure, and transport the puck up ice as a pivot. This ability to carry play contributes positively to his play-driving profile and supports his capacity to generate offensive chances through controlled entries and sustained possession.
This clip clearly illustrates that aspect of his game. While the final execution is not always perfect and the play can lack a finishing touch, the foundation is strong. He maintains puck control through traffic, pushes play forward.
This sequence again highlights his ability to carry the puck through all three zones and navigate through pressure. The missing element at times is the final execution. Maintaining full control through the last defender and delivering the puck to a teammate in a more dangerous area. If that final step continues to develop, it will elevate him into a more impactful and dangerous playmaker.
He consistently delivers clean, accurate feeds in short to medium range and shows a strong understanding of how to move the puck into advantageous areas rather than forcing low-percentage plays. As a pivot, he demonstrates the ability to connect plays, facilitate puck movement through the middle of the ice, and help generate chances by drawing pressure and distributing to support options.
He shows subtle play-driving qualities through body positioning, puck protection, and timing rather than dynamic creativity. While he is not a natural tempo-setter, he can sustain possession and keep offensive sequences alive, particularly at junior pace.
This clip shows that Novák is comfortable holding onto the puck against men’s competition, but once pressure is applied, he tends to default to the safer option rather than forcing a difficult play.
Against men’s competition, his skill game becomes more conservative. Under heavier pressure, he defaults to safer options and functions more as a facilitator than a primary creator. Even so, relative to his projected draft range, his puck management, passing touch, and playmaking instincts remain a positive indicator of offensive utility.
GRADE: 55
Smarts
Novák is a detail-oriented player with strong positional awareness.
Offensively, he understands spacing and timing. He supports the puck consistently and offers outlets for defensemen under pressure. He recognizes when to cycle high and when to slide into soft ice.
He does not force low-percentage plays and generally manages risk well.
Here is Novák’s understanding of spacing and timing in the offensive zone. He reads the loose-puck situation well, supports the play, and provides a short outlet under pressure. After gaining possession, he does not force a risky play but instead makes a simple, controlled pass back to the defenseman.
Novák shows a high level of poise after gaining possession, even when immediately pressured by opponents. He remains calm on the puck, uses active stickhandling to buy time, and consistently scans the ice to track developing options. His ability to process pressure, adjust his positioning, and make composed decisions allows him to move the puck efficiently and maintain offensive possession.
He also demonstrates a willingness to attempt creative and dangerous passes when reads are available. Novák is not afraid to challenge defensive structure through anticipatory puck movement and can recognize moments to thread pucks into more dangerous areas. While execution is still inconsistent at higher pace, the intent and vision point toward an offensive mindset that goes beyond purely safe, structural decision-making.
Defensively, he stays inside structure, protects the slot, and reads developing plays competently. His stick positioning is sound, and he takes reasonable routes in coverage.
What he lacks is assertiveness. He often reacts rather than initiates and can be slow to close on puck carriers, especially along the wall.
Here is Novák’s lack of assertiveness. In a no-goalie situation, he commits to carrying the puck but does not make the decision early enough, allowing the defense to close the gap. The delayed execution slows the play down, leads to a turnover, and ultimately costs the team possession in a critical moment.
His hockey sense should translate cleanly to pro systems, even if it does not elevate his ceiling.
GRADE: 55
Physicality / Compete
Novák is a competitive player whose effectiveness in physical situations is currently limited by strength rather than willingness.
As his physical game continues to mature, there is room for Novák to add a more impactful element to his play through contact. He already finishes his checks and engages consistently in physical situations, but his current strength level limits how much damage he can do through contact. With continued physical development, he has the foundation to deliver harder, more separating hits that can disrupt opponents.
He initiates contact but struggles to maintain leverage, particularly against stronger opponents below the hash marks.
This clip shows that Novák is willing to engage physically and drives into the corner knowing contact is coming. He initiates the battle and shows no hesitation, but struggles to maintain leverage through the engagement and ultimately loses the puck. It reflects a competitive mindset, but also his current limitations in strength and balance in board battles.
Along the boards, he can be separated from the puck too easily and does not yet show the strength base required to grind out extended possessions.
This clip shows that along the boards, Novák can still be outpushed from the puck with relative ease. When engaged physically, he struggles to hold inside leverage and maintain possession, which limits his ability to extend plays and sustain offensive-zone time.
His compete level is adequate. He backchecks, stays involved in defensive sequences, and does not cheat for offense. However, he does not impose himself physically or emotionally on games.
Additional strength will help, but he is unlikely to become more than average in this department.
GRADE: 52.5
Final Grades
Skating: 50
Shot: 50
Skills: 55
Smarts: 55
Physicality / Compete: 52.5
OFP: 52.5
A note on the 20-80 scale used above. We look at five attributes (skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ and physicality) for skaters and six for goalies (athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling). Each individual attribute is graded along the 20-80 scales, which includes half-grades. The idea is that a projection of 50 in a given attribute meant that our observer believed that the player could get to roughly NHL average at that attribute at maturity.