Pittsburgh Hockey Insider has no direct affiliation to the Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL or NHLPA
Underrated Penguins Forward Listed as Top Breakout Candidate for Next Season
Photo credit: The Hockey Writers
Analyst Pete Jensen revealed that Pittsburgh Penguins underrated forward Tommy Novak is the prime breakout candidate for the team in the upcoming year.
It's going to be a tough sell for fans of the Pittsburgh Penguins to come watch their team this year for reasons other than the final potential season of Evgeni Malkin with the club.
The Penguins aren't projected by most to come anywhere near close to competing for the Stanley Cup any time soon, much less a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But one NHL analyst has listed an underrated forward who could be a breakout candidate for the team.
Analyst Pete Jensen has listed Tommy Novak as Pittsburgh's breakout candidate for this year.
Although Novak is behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin on the center depth chart, he will be a part of the Penguins' new-look middle-six forward group with rookies Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty, as well as Philip Tomasino and Anthony Mantha.....Novak had his most-productive season in 2022-23 (43 points in 51 games), and, dating back to that season, he has scored 48 goals in his past 176 games (82-game pace of more than 22 goals). Novak also has a strong underlying metric, ranking in the 96th percentile among forwards in offensive zone time percentage at even strength (45.5) last season.
Novak was part of the Michael Bunting trade along with Luke Schenn at the 2025 Trade Deadline.
Tommy Novak was taken by the Nashville Predators in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft
Novak was taken by the Predators with the 85th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft while playing for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers.
He would make his NHL debut for the Predators in 2021-22, playing in 27 games.
Novak was traded to the Penguins at the 2025 Trade Deadline with Luke Schenn for Michael Bunting.
He has 117 points (49, 68A) in 203 NHL games.
| POLL | ||
AOUT 24 | 40 ANSWERS Underrated Penguins Forward Listed as Top Breakout Candidate for Next Season Do the Penguins have any realistic chance at the playoffs this year? | ||
| Yes | 18 | 45 % |
| No | 22 | 55 % |
| List of polls | ||