Everyone remembers the famous trade at last year's NHL Trade Deadline that brought forwards Philip Tomasino and Tommy Novak to the Penguins and sent Michael Bunting to the Nashville Predators. Well it seems like the Penguins definitely lost this trade because both forwards that they acquired, have no spot in the lineup.
It seems like both players, especially Novak, are just skating around and do not look interested and definitely should not have any placeholder in the Penguins lineup. The Penguins have only played six games this season, and every time Novak is on the ice, he just is not noticeable.
He is somebody that if you do notice him, he is making a bad play or a bad read or turning the puck over. He came over from the Predators where he actually showed promise and could score some goals and drive some offense. But ever since he has been in Pittsburgh so far for a short time, he has shown basically nothing.
It seems like the players that get put on a line with him, get dragged down because Novak is not doing anything of importance and is making the whole entire line look bad. It seemed like a good trade at the time because he was actually something with Nashville.
For now., it seems like Novak will have a spot in the lineup because his potential replacement in Rutger McGroarty has been out hurt with an injury and has yet to return. But when McGroarty is to return, Novak should definitely come out of the lineup.
It made sense what general manager Kyle Dubas was trying to do when he went out and acquired Novak and Tomasino from the Predators, but clearly this one can be chalked up as a failure. Trading Bunting away was trying to get pieces or assets for a player not part of the future. And bringing back two promising players to see what you had in them.
But now the Penguins know what they have in both players and it is not very promising. Tomasino has been in-and-out of the lineup because of inconsistent play, and Novak is going to get the same fate very soon.