The Habs have reportedly made a small addition to their prospect pool as they’ve acquired the rights to forward Jakov Novak from the Senators in exchange for future considerations. CapFriendly was the first to report the swap.
The 24-year-old was a seventh-round pick by the Senators back in 2018, going 188th overall, two spots before the Canadiens picked Brett Stapley. Novak spent three seasons at Bentley University before transferring to Northeastern for the final two years of his college career. (Northeastern is where Jordan Harris and Jayden Struble recently suited up so there’s some scouting familiarity with Novak.)
Last season, he posted eight goals and four assists in 35 games with the Huskies before turning pro, signing with Ottawa’s ECHL affiliate in Allen. With the Americans, Novak got into 14 games and was somewhat productive, tallying seven goals and five helpers while adding a goal in six postseason contests.
This trade is merely a formality as Novak was technically already in the organization, having signed with Laval back in early July, a move that would have required the blessing of the Senators to happen. Now, they’ve finalized the swap, giving Montreal the ability to sign him to an NHL deal if they so desire. Considering how many other prospects will need to sign deals over the next few years, he’s going to need a big showing with the Rocket to have any shot of landing an entry-level pact. He’ll get a chance to make an early impression as he’ll be suiting up for his new team in the rookie tournament which begins on Friday.
Novak’s Stats: