Tommy Novak is now signed for longer than any other Penguins forward. Gregory Shamus / Getty ImagesJuly 31, 2026 Updated 10:44 am EDTPITTSBURGH — Even when Tommy Novak would endure stretches of unproductive hockey, the Pittsburgh Penguins coaching staff insisted he had considerable value.The front office apparently agrees.The Penguins and Novak agreed to a three-year contract extension on Friday, the team announced. The deal will run through the 2029-30 season, as Novak still has one year remaining on his current deal.Novak’s new contract will pay the forward $4.65 million per year, a somewhat eye-popping total for someone who has never managed more than 45 points in a season and who doesn’t kill penalties regularly. Salaries around the NHL are rising, though, along with a higher salary cap.
Novak, 29, is now signed for longer than any other Penguins forward.The natural center found a comfortable spot on the team’s second line late in the 2025-26 regular season, centering Evgeni Malkin and Egor Chinakhov.Novak, a reasonably sound defender and a better playmaker than goal scorer, finished his first full season in Pittsburgh with 16 goals and 42 points. He was the only member of the Penguins to play in all 82 games last season.Like many of his teammates, Novak was something of a no-show in the first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers. He managed only two points and was a minus-4 in that series. He isn’t known for his physical play and disappears from the scoresheet for stretches, but coaches never considered removing him from the lineup even during his early-season struggles.A native of St. Paul, Minn., Novak played his first four NHL seasons with the Nashville Predators.Jul 31, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms
