Canucks Are Getting A Bona-Fide Competitor In First-Round Pick Adam Novotný

It wouldn’t be far-fetched to see shades of Mason McTavish in new Vancouver Canucks prospect Adam Novotný’s game. After all, that’s the player the 24th-overall pick in this year’s draft says he models his game after.

“Rob Wilson, our coach [with the Peterborough Petes], he told me that I’m so similar to him, and then I started to watch him a little bit more when I was here,” Novotný told the media during Vancouver’s development camp. “He’s a great player, competitive, versatile, can play a lot of roles, and it’s just fun to watch him.”

The fact that Novotný fell to 24th was a surprise for many, including Canucks General Manager Ryan Johnson. The forward was projected to go anywhere from 13th-overall to 26th, with the majority of scouts and media projecting him to be picked in the late-teens. Novotný didn’t have any particular inkling as to where he’d go until the Canucks’ pick appeared on the horizon.

“Honestly, I didn’t have any expectations from the draft, but as it was getting closer to the 24th pick and I knew the Canucks were there, so I had like a little bit of an inside feeling, and I’m happy it worked out this way, because it’s such a great organization and I’m so happy to be here.”

Evidently, Novotný is happy that things worked out with him landing in Vancouver. The Canucks couldn’t agree more.

“He was a guy that we targeted. The way he plays, again, his character, his interview was very well-received,” Johnson had said after drafting the forward last week. “He exudes winner, compete, along with obviously a skill set, the amount of goals he scored, his size, he’s already very physically mature, the way he skates — again, it was a player that we felt that at 24 we were extremely lucky to get, and again he’s got pro habits at a young age.”

Part of the comparison to McTavish comes from the fact that, like the now-St. Louis Blues forward, Novotný has also played for Peterborough in the OHL. The new Canucks forward also holds the potential of becoming a lethal goal-scorer while maintaining an eye for other sides of the game. This skill of his was apparent throughout camp, but most-notably so during the prospects’ scrimmage on the final day.

Two goals and a slick assist during the scrimmages were only the cherry on top of what was overall an impressive skate for the young winger.

Source link

Canucks Are Getting A Bona-Fide Competitor In First-Round Pick Adam Novotný

SwimAtlanta’s Ella Waters Verbally Commits to Mizzou for 2027

‘Is There an Agenda Here?’ — ESPN Legend Rips WNBA’s ‘Bad Officiating’ for Latest Caitlin Clark Controversy

You may also like