Penguins’ Tommy Novak Extension Carries Real Risk

The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed Tommy Novak to a three-year contract extension, keeping him off the free-agent market next summer. The deal begins in 2027-28 and runs through 2029-30, with a $4.65 million average annual value. Novak will complete the final season of his current contract at $3.5 million this season.

The Penguins’ announcement emphasized Novak’s versatility, durability and 42-point season, but $4.65 million is a significant commitment for a player who has not established himself as a reliable second-line center or consistent difference-maker.

The rising NHL salary cap will make the contract easier to carry, but it does not eliminate the pressure attached to the price. Pittsburgh is paying Novak to remain a productive middle-six fixture, not as a useful forward who can move around the lineup.

Novak Earned a Raise, but This Is a Large One

Novak recorded 16 goals and 26 assists through 82 games during his first full season in Pittsburgh. He was the only Penguin to appear in every regular-season game and finished seventh on the team in points.

His availability mattered for a roster that dealt with injuries and frequent lineup adjustments. Novak played center and wing, contributed on the power play and spent extended time beside Evgeni Malkin and Egor Chinakhov. He also helped move the puck through the neutral zone and created opportunities for more dangerous finishers.

Those qualities made his current $3.5 million contract valuable. They do not make $4.65 million a bargain. His 42 points were the third-highest total of his career, and he has never scored more than 18 goals or produced more than 45 points in a season. His offensive history suggests Pittsburgh is paying close to the top of his established range rather than securing a player likely to outperform the contract through continued development.

He will also be 30 when the extension begins. That does not mean an immediate decline is inevitable, but the team is not buying prime developmental years from a young center. They are committing three seasons to a player who may already be close to his ceiling.

The argument that the Penguins need more from Novak is because of his inconsistency, quiet stretches and limited playoff impact. He recorded two assists during Pittsburgh’s six-game first-round loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, giving him two points across 12 career playoff appearances.

This extension raises expectations. A versatile 40-point season was strong value at $3.5 million. It will feel less convincing once Novak begins earning $4.65 million.

Rising Salary Cap Softens the Cost

The best argument in favor of this contract is the changing financial environment. The NHL salary cap is set at $104 million for 2026-27 and is scheduled to rise to $113.5 million in 2027-28, when Novak’s extension begins. The NHL’s payroll projections imply that his $4.65 million cap hit could account for approximately 4.1% of the ceiling during the first season.

That percentage is manageable for a regular middle-six forward. Contracts across the league are becoming more expensive, and players capable of playing center normally receive a premium over similarly productive wingers.

Pittsburgh also has significant long-term flexibility. The Penguins do not have a collection of expensive contracts running into the extension, which reduces the likelihood that Novak’s deal alone creates a serious cap problem. The question is not whether the Penguins can afford him. They can.

The concern is whether committing that amount to Novak represents the best use of their flexibility. Management is attempting to become younger while preparing for eventual decisions involving Sidney Crosby, Malkin and Erik Karlsson. Every multi-year contract establishes another part of the next roster before the organization fully understands what that roster will look like.

A rising cap can make an expensive contract easier to absorb. It cannot create a larger role or make the player more productive.

Penguins Are Paying for Role Certainty

President of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas appears to value the certainty Novak provides. The Penguins acquired him and Luke Schenn from the Nashville Predators in March 2025 for Michael Bunting and a 2026 fourth-round pick. The acquisition details indicated that Pittsburgh targeted a younger, less expensive forward capable of playing through the middle.

Novak has fulfilled much of that expectation. He stayed healthy, contributed secondary offense, and gave the coaching staff an experienced option behind Crosby. He was not spectacular, but Pittsburgh rarely had to worry about whether he could handle a regular NHL role.

That dependable floor has value, especially at center. The Penguins do not have an established long-term second-line option, and their younger candidates remain uncertain. Ben Kindel showed significant promise as an 18-year-old, but the team should not force him into its most demanding assignments before he is ready.

Hendrix Lapierre is another option, although his four-goal, 16-point campaign with the Washington Capitals last season did not establish him as a clear solution when Pittsburgh acquired him in June. His new two-year contract, signed by the Penguins, carries a $1.3 million annual value, creating a much less expensive evaluation period.