Vancouver Canucks first-round pick Adam Novotny made history long before he was selected 24th overall in the 2026 NHL draft. On Oct. 6, 2023, as a 15-year-old call-up for Mountfield HK in the Czech Extraliga, he scored his first professional goal against Rytiri Kladno, becoming the youngest player ever to score in the Czech Republic's top league.
Record-breaking debut
Novotny, then 15, swatted home his own rebound from the slot during a second-period scramble in a 4-3 overtime win for Mountfield. The goal came in his Extraliga debut, and he was unaware of the record until after the game.
“It was something unbelievable,” Novotny recalled after a skate at the Canucks development camp in Abbotsford. “You’re 15 and you’re a kid, and there were guys in the dressing room who were 35. A lot of guys helped me, giving me advice. I didn’t know that if I scored I’d be the youngest in league to do it. I just went in with a clear head. There was a puck in front of the net and I shot it, and all of the sudden there’s a goal. I couldn’t believe it for a second.”
Kladno's roster that night included 39-year-old Tomas Plekanec, an NHL veteran of over 1,000 games, while Czech legend Jaromir Jagr—then 51—watched from the stands. Jagr, now 54, is a Kladno native and part-owner of the team.
Path to the NHL
Novotny, now 18, spent the 2024-25 season playing against men in the Extraliga, appearing in 41 games and recording one goal and three points. He then moved to North America for the 2025-26 season, joining the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The 6-foot-1, 200-pound left-handed winger posted 34 goals and 65 points in 58 regular-season games.
“Being around pro all season, I saw how they worked, how they acted outside of hockey,” said Novotny, a native of Hradec Kralove, Czechia. “It gave me so much experience. They’re professionals and that’s who I’m trying to be.”
Elite Prospects ranked Novotny 14th overall for the draft, while Sportsnet’s Jason Bukala had him at 16th and Sam Cosentino at 19th. TSN’s Craig Button projected him at 26th.
Scouting report and influences
NHL Central Scouting’s Nick Smith praised Novotny’s attributes in January. “What’s really impressive about him is his speed and quickness for a guy with his frame,” Smith told nhl.com. “He already has that NHL frame, and his motor and compete level are off the charts. He has those soft hands and touch around the net to go with it, as well as a high hockey IQ.”
Novotny cited Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak and Colorado Avalanche centre Martin Necas as players he watched most growing up. More recently, he has studied St. Louis Blues centre Mason McTavish, a Peterborough alumnus, after Petes coach Rob Wilson pointed out similarities in their games.
“He’s a great player. Competitive, versatile, can play a lot of roles. And he’s just fun to watch,” Novotny said of McTavish.
International experience
Novotny has represented Czechia at two world junior tournaments, adding to his development. The Canucks selected him with the 24th overall pick in the 2026 NHL draft, held in Buffalo, and he is now participating in Vancouver's development camp.
