Devils' 2026 First-Round Draft Profile: Adam Novotný
Evaluating what Adam Novotný brings to the table as a potential target with the 12th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
Thank you, as always, for reading the Devils’ Advocates Substack! If you enjoy the quasi-daily content, please consider subscribing and sharing with your friends, family, and any Devils fan you know. It is completely free of charge and helps out quite a bit!
Consider checking out the Devils’ Advocates Podcast, which features weekly episodes chock-full of in-depth content and exciting guest appearances. They’ll be available on this Substack, but you can also listen on your favorite platforms at the following links:
With the 2026 NHL Entry Draft just over a month away, and the Devils in possession of five picks, I’ll be going through a ton of prospects over the next several weeks in order to prepare readers for appealing targets in every round. At the end, I’ll be doing a full mock draft (with reasoning) so that you’ll be able to decipher my preferred targets. Enjoy!
All 2026 NHL Entry Draft Profiles:
12th Overall (First Round): Ethan Belchetz | Ryan Lin | Oscar Hemming | Wyatt Cullen | Viggo Björck | Xavier Villeneuve
44th Overall (Second Round):
103rd Overall (Fourth Round):
140th Overall (Fifth Round):
172nd Overall (Sixth Round):
Next up on the draft target list for the Devils’ 12th overall pick is Adam Novotný, a stocky, predictable, high-floor power forward out of the OHL. He is one of the older players in the class, already being 18 with a November birthday, but that certainly doesn’t make him a less appealing grab as a mid-first-round caliber prospect.
If the Devils are going for consistency in a forward, Novotný certainly fits that bill. He brings energy to every shift of every game, has a dual-threat skillset, and is one of the easier players to project into the top nine of an NHL roster in due time. Let’s talk about why he might be an appealing target at 12th overall:
By the Numbers
Rankings: #15 by EliteProspects | #21 by Craig Button | #11 by Scouching | #18 by Scott Wheeler | #21 by SMAHT Scouting | #14 by McKeen’s Hockey | #13 by Yours Truly
Size: 6’1, 205 Pounds
Production: 34 Goals & 31 Assists (65 Total Points) in 58 OHL Games
Novotný’s statistical profile is not superb for where he is likely slated to go in the draft, but I have a feeling that that’s more due to his D-1 production in the Czechia pro league than it is his 2025-26 output in the OHL. An NHLe of 28 in his draft year is nothing to scoff at, even if the model’s projection isn’t super appealing. That is further exascerbated by his underlying numbers, which are excellent:
Novotný is one of the more threatening transition players in the draft, ranking in the 100th percentile for defensive zone breakouts and the 99th percentile for offensive zone entries. He likes the puck on his stick in the neutral zone, and for good reason — he’s clearly superb at efficiency and volume in that regard. Offensively, it’s clear that his individual creation for himself is his best attribute, and his defensive inclusion is excellent to boot, even if the impacts themselves are subpar.
Evaluating Novotný’s Tools
Skating
Novotný is a pretty strong skater, with an above-average top gear and explosive power in each of his strides. He can reach his full speed potential in but a few steps, making him an asset both in the neutral zone and in the cycle. He likes the puck on his stick in transition, and for good reason — he can blaze right past coverage and is extremely strong on the puck, allowing him to perform power moves at full speed.
More than just his skating ability, Novotný has an incessant motor. He needs to be the first one to a loose puck and needs to be a nuisance upon the defense making a retrieval. That’s likely why his acceleration is as strong as it is — his game is predicated on it:
Shooting
Novotný has one of the better wrist shots in the entire class, I would argue. His release is deceptive as can be, with an ability to change the angle of the shot in an instant. He gets an immense amount of power on his wristers and can pick corners at will. Watch all three of those — a deceptive release, power, and pinpoint accuracy — on one of the most disgusting wrist shots I’ve seen at the junior level below:
What cannot be understated with Novotný’s shot is his ability to deceive the goaltender in multiple ways. Deception through changing the angle of the shot? Check. Deception through using defenders’ legs as a screen? Check. Deception through timing, playing with the goaltender’s rhythm? Check.
Hockey Sense & Playmaking
I wouldn’t consider Novotný’s playmaking ability and IQ a strong suit, but I think he still certainly has his flashes.
If there is a clear play to be made, Novotný will make it. His edgework allows for quick turnarounds to lose coverage in a split second before firing off a pass to an obvious candidate. He likes to draw defenders in using his strength and power, following that up with a quick turnaround to shake them and create some more space for either himself or his teammates.
A lot of Novotný’s playmaking is directly produced from forechecking. His nonstop motor and need to prevent the defense from breaking out culminates in a ton of generated opportunities for himself and others, further exploited by occasional flashes of high-end vision, even if those moments come fewer and further between than you’d like to see.
The other facet of his game where IQ comes into play, and likely where it is at its best, is in his offensive zone off-puck positioning. He’s in constant motion while cycling, and that lends itself to getting into open lanes for shot opportunities. Being the volume shooter that he is, this is a necessity, and something he has grown more comfortable and apt with over time, to the point that it is an NHL-ready tool right now.
Puck Skills
Novotný has great hands, though I find his collection of dekes and dangles to be rather simple. This isn’t a bad thing, it just means that, rather than performing show-stopping moves, he likes simple side-to-side moves followed by using his burst four-way skating to escape a jam.
Novotný does have strong hand-eye coordination as well, being able to corral pucks from mid-air in transition and proving to be a valued netfront presence for tips and deflections for his squad.
Defensive Play
I think Novotný’s defensive impact was a bit undersold by the underlying numbers listed at the beginning of this profile — I think his support of the play in his own zone is quite strong, and his need to pounce on loose pucks translates over to his end of the ice as well. He’s hyperactive in board battles, and that quick burst ability shows up in breakouts extremely well, hence why he ranked in the 100th percentile for that statistic in Gabriel Foley's player card on him. He positions himself well while the opposition is cycling, blockading passing lanes and occasionally pouncing on them to generate odd-man looks.
Physicality
Novotný’s physicality isn’t rooted in open ice hits or having a grinder mentality, rather showing itself in the form of pure strength. He’s nigh impossible to knock off the puck once he has possession, battling his way through body checking attempts and stick checks with ease anywhere in the offensive zone.
I’m not so sure Novotný projects as a top-line talent simply because his IQ is just average, but the combination of his burst skating ability, forechecking aptitude, and strong finishing talent cement him as a sure-fire middle-six player with legitimate 25-goal upside. Second-line pests who dominate the game through strength are certainly valuable assets to NHL lineups, I just question whether the ceiling will truly be there without development in his processing game and a bit less tunnel vision when he has the puck — I find that he holds on for too long at times in the name of trying to fire the puck on net himself. Still, he will be selected in the mid-first round for good reason.
NHL Timeline: 2027-28
NHL Stylistic Comparables: Alexis Lafrenière, Tyler Bertuzzi, Mason McTavish
The videos from this prospect breakdown are again courtesy of Jesse Marshall, whose Novotný mixtape you can find here. Be sure to check out his phenomenal Substack, Faceoff-Factor, and his work at The Athletic and EliteProspects.
Do you think there is anyone they can draft who would be ready in the Fall to help the devils either on Hughes or Hischier line?