Barnabas Novak

Barnabas Novak – 2026 NHL Draft Scouting Report **HC Sparta Praha U20 | F | CZE | Age: 19**

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Player Overview Barnabas Novak is a 19-year-old Czech forward playing for one of the country's premier development programs in HC Sparta Praha U20, giving him consistent exposure to competitive U20 hockey ahead of the 2026 draft. His age relative to the draft class warrants attention when contextualizing his production.

Current Production Over his last 10 games, Novak has recorded 3 assists and zero goals for 3 points at a minus-1, indicating a player who contributes more as a distributor than a finisher at this stage. The absence of goals is a data point that will draw scrutiny, particularly as his Czech U20 program has shown broader offensive struggles, including a shutout loss to Finland in the Nordic tournament.

Key Attributes Based on available information, Novak's production pattern — all assists, no goals — suggests his value is oriented around playmaking and offensive facilitation rather than shot generation. Playing within a Sparta Praha system carries structural expectations around puck movement and positional discipline, which likely shapes his on-ice identity. His participation in international U20 competition signals that Czech national program evaluators view him as a relevant developmental piece.

2026 Draft Outlook Given his modest 10-game sample and a stat line that reflects limited offensive punch, Novak projects as a late-round consideration at best in the current draft cycle. Before June, he must demonstrate consistent goal-scoring ability to move up evaluators' boards.