After it was announced that the Pittsburgh Penguins re-signed their second line center Tommy Novak to a 3-year $13.95 million deal, it received mixed reactions. Most were shocked that the team extended him after many assumed Novak would leave town this upcoming offseason when he was set to hit free agency. It's a fair contract, but it's still a puzzling move for the team.
Keeping the center around at a solid cap hit is solid business for the Penguins, but it has many wondering what happened. The franchise was expected to make bold free agent additions and some blockbuster trades, but neither have transpired. Instead, many could argue that Pittsburgh's hockey club has gotten worse. There seems to be little hope for any improvement going forward.
While keeping Novak around during the prime of his career is wise on paper, this is certainly an extension that could backfire.
He is coming off the best season of his career, but he is a player who went silent during the troubling playoff series against the Flyers. He could always regress and make his cap hit a hinderance. Novak will could also eat up a lot of opportunities that could've went to younger players.
Pittsburgh Penguins Tommy Novak extension might've ended hope of a blockbuster trade
This contract extension appears to be a wise move be Pittsburgh's top decision makers, but in the long-term, it doesn't help much. You'd love to see Ben Kindle grow into the second line center spot, but with Tommy Novak sticking around, that seems unlikely. That being said, his upcoming cap hit of $4.65 million per season could always see him get demoted to a third line role.
Much of this contract will depend on how the team unfolds around Novak moving forward.
It's paramount that the team infuses youth into the club, and finds difference makers. Novak isn't a player who will become a star for an NHL roster. He is better off being a role player who helps his team. His ability to distribute the puck is nice, but he cannot be the top choice as the center behind Sidney Crosby going forward if they want to compete.
Kindle could always take over Novak's spot on the depth chart at some point, and that would be ideal. The truth is after Crosby and Malkin leave the team; this group is in trouble. They are without any sort of elite prospects that can take over the jobs of being a star player in Pittsburgh. Novak is far from being a top player, but he could eat some minutes on a rebuilding roster.
Fans should be worried about the team going into this upcoming season, barring some sort of shocking trade or free agent addition.
They have failed to make a monster move, and it will come back to haunt them. Bringing Novak back on this new 3-year deal is solid business, but it won't move the needle. Either they have a secret trade in the works, or the Penguins will be worse this year.
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