The Canucks aren't wasting any time getting their guy under contract. PuckPedia broke down the numbers on Vancouver's newest signee, winger Adam Novotny, who was Vancouver's 24th-overall pick at the 2026 NHL Draft: a three-year entry-level deal worth $1.075M in cap hit/AAV, with the money split across NHL salary, signing bonuses and minors salary in each of the 3 years.
The #Canucks signed '26 #24 Adam Novotny to a three year ELC $1.075M Cap Hit/AAV Yr 1: $922.5K NHL, $102.5K Signing Bonus, $87.5K Minors Yr 2: $967.5K/$107.5K/$87.5K Yr 3: $1.0125M/$112.5K/$87.5K Rep'd by Gerry Johansson @GJTSC https://t.co/pvUWPpxG0y
Daily Faceoff confirmed the same news minutes later, which is about as close to official as it gets before the team's own release drops.
Canucks sign Adam Novotny to entry-level contract https://t.co/K6fpxzlfWt
So who is Adam Novotny? The Czech winger spent last season lighting it up with the Peterborough Petes of the OHL, putting up 34 goals and 31 assists in 58 games, and he backed that up on the international stage with 3 assists in 7 games as Czechia took silver at the 2026 World Junior Championship. Canucks GM Ryan Johnson called him a player who 'exudes winner, compete' with strong skating, puck control and a quick release — the kind of scouting-report buzzwords that usually mean the front office is genuinely excited, not just doing PR.
Novotny himself has pointed to Mason McTavish as the player he models his game after, and it's not a hard comp to see — both are 6-foot-1 power forwards who came up through the Petes with size, a heavy shot and a two-way game that translates to a top-six role without needing to be the guy driving the line.
Locking up a first-rounder to an ELC this fast isn't unusual, but it does say something about how Vancouver views its pipeline. This is reportedly the first of the Canucks' 2026 draft class to ink a contract, and it keeps the cap-managed rebuild ticking along with a player the team is already comparing to a legitimate NHL top-six piece. Expect Novotny at training camp in Penticton come September, with a return to Peterborough for one more junior season the likely outcome if he doesn't force the issue.