The Vancouver Canucks 2025/26 season went about as poorly as possible from start to finish, and that bad luck carried through to the draft lottery, as the team fell to the No. 3 overall pick despite finishing 32nd in the overall NHL standings.
With that pick, the team landed Caleb Malhotra, but it was the rest of the draft that impressed the NHL most, as the team landed several potential difference makers later in the draft, including Brooks Rogowski in the second-round. Just as exciting is Adam Novotny who was selected late in the first-round, and now, the team have made an exciting announcement on the 18-year-old.
Adam Novotny Signs Three-Year ELC With Vancouver
GettyAdam Novotny with the Vancouver Canucks.
Last season, Novotny made his arrival known in North America when he joined the OHL’s Peterborough Petes from his home country of Czechia, and immediately he made an impact. In 58 games played, Novotny had 34 goals and 65 points, and given his combination of size (6-foot-1, 205 pounds), skill and production, it’s easy to see why Vancouver took a chance on him with the No. 24 overall pick.
Now, they’ve made a huge announcement on Novotny, as the team took to social media on Tuesday to reveal he has signed his three-year Entry Level Deal, blocking any potential move to the NCAA and suggesting that he may be ready to make the leap to the professional level sooner, rather than later.
That doesn’t mean he’s going to crack the NHL roster out of camp, but with his NHL ready body, that’s always a possibility, and with the team looking to build for the future, getting younger players opportunities at the NHL level whenever they can is always going to be a benefit.
Can the Canucks Speed Through a Rebuild?
Nobody quite expected the Canucks to struggle the way they did in 2025/26, and after dealing away captain Quinn Hughes, it’s clear that this team is committed to a rebuild and doing it right this time.
That means that the core prospect pool of Malhotra, Novotny, Rogowski and Braedon Cootes will need to play a huge role moving forward, and with the likes of Tom Willander, Zeev Buium and Marco Rossi all leading the way, there may be clear skies on the way in Vancouver. The front office will still need to make some big calls on the veterans that currently lead this team, but if it’s done right, the Canucks have the pieces in place to build a potentially good team in the years to come as they look to become a consistent Stanley Cup Playoffs threat again.
Ultimately though, the 2026/27 season is going to be a tough one for this organization, but the sooner the fans see those prospects the better, and with Novotny signing his ELC already, there’s a chance we may see him at least trialed in the NHL at some point during the upcoming campaign.
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