It’s that time of the year for The Win Column’s NHL Draft Rankings and Draft Profiles! Earlier on, we released the TWC consolidated 2026 NHL Draft rankings. The 2026 NHL Draft will take place on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo
Our 13th-ranked player is winger Adam Novotny. The Czech forward has spent the past season with the Peterborough Petes and is projected to be a potential top-six winger on either side.
Who is Adam Novotny?
| Player | Position | Shoots | Height | Weight | Born | Nationality | 2026 Draft Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Novotny | LW/RW | Left | 6’1″ | 205 lbs | November 13, 2007 | Czechia | TWC rank #13 | CS rank #12 NA |
Novotny spent much of his time in Czechia playing hockey before joining the Petes in the OHL this year. He was second in team scoring and was a major factor on the power play for the team. Novotny was only behind Kieron Walto in scoring, who was drafted in 2024 by the Winnipeg Jets.
Novotny’s on-ice production
| Year | Draft Rel. | League | Team | GP | G | A | P | P/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | D-1 | Czechia | Mountfield HK | 41 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0.07 |
| 2025-26 | D+0 | OHL | Peterborough Petes | 58 | 34 | 31 | 65 | 1.12 |
Novotny went from playing in the top league in Czechia to the OHL, where he could really showcase his offensive production. In Peterborough, he produced at a high rate and was a top offensive option for the team. His performance shows offensive promise for the NHL level and someone who may be relied upon as an offensive weapon for years to come in the NHL.
Novotny’s strengths
Elite shot
There is no doubt about it, Novotny’s shot is his best trait. His shot has been described as deceptive, accurate, and NHL-ready. With his ability to fire the puck, he will play as a finisher in the league. Look for Novotny to produce through finishing plays and less through playmaking.
He has a quick release and can either shoot from the perimeter or drive to the net and finish in a tight space. With Novotny being this versatile a goal scorer, his high ranking makes sense.
Two-way game
Novotny is looked at as a goal scorer, but don’t sleep on his defensive ability as well. Novotny is a strong two-way player as well, with solid backchecking and puck battling. He has physical tools and off-puck skills that make him impactful on the defensive side of the ice.
For many goal scorers in the league, if they are not scoring goals, they aren’t doing much of anything else. However, with Novotny, if he isn’t finding the back of the net, he will still be contributing in a positive sense through his defensive skills.
Novotny’s areas of improvement
Playmaking
Nobody is expecting Novotny to be one of the best playmakers in the world; however, his tendencies can end up being a little too reliant on shooting pucks. His passing isn’t bad by any means; however, he doesn’t have the deceptive nature that other players do. This can lead to him giving away where he is going to pass before he even does it, showing a lack of deception in his game.
Novotny is a goal scorer at the end of the day, so this isn’t a make-or-break, yet if he can add a deceptive passing ability to his game, it may raise his offensive ceiling in his career.
Skating
His skating is not much of a flaw in his game; however, it is not seen as a strength like his shot and two-way game are. This is less of a weakness and more of an area that Novotny can improve to strengthen his chances of becoming an elite option in the offensive zone
Novotny’s comparables
| Scenario | NHL Comparable | Position | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best case | Mason Mctavish (but as a winger) | Centre | Size and finishing ability |
| Likely outcome | Tyler Toffoli – lite | Right Wing | Shoot first winger |
How Novotny develops is reliant on whether he can develop a deceptive playmaking ability, therefore not just making him a threat to shoot, but a threat to also create chances for his team as a whole. The Mason McTavish comparison is more about the size that McTavish plays with and his ability to finish plays, and less about McTavish’s point production.
Fit with the Flames
| Organizational need addressed | Big sized power forward |
| Realistic pick range | 10–15 |
| NHL timeline | 2 to 3 seasons |
| Flames fit verdict | Big-sized power forward |
The Flames have been selecting smaller, skilled players lately in their last drafts, so getting some size in the prospect pipeline would help. Additionally, the team hasn’t selected a pure goal-scoring forward since they drafted Matthew Coronato. Getting another goal scorer could help the Flames have some more options in the future once Novotny enters the league. He may need some time in the AHL to refine his game if he can’t develop his playmaking ability within the next year to two.
If Calgary does want this player and he goes between picks 10–15, it is likely that they will need to trade up, either with the Vegas pick or their multiple 2nd-rounders. At the end of the day, the Flames do have options if they do want to push for Novotny to end up with the organization.
Summary
Novotny is a pure goal scorer who has an NHL-ready shot. He can score from the perimeter or by driving to the net. He has the potential to be a top-six threat; it is reliant on him being dangerous with his playmaking ability as well.