Adam Novotný’s combine connection puts Islanders in the spotlight

At the 2026 NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo, Czech forward Adam Novotný put the New York Islanders in the center of his draft-weekend narrative. Yahoo Sports reported that Novotný met with 26 NHL teams during the event and described his interview experience with the Islanders front office as his “favorite,” saying he “bonded” with the organization and that a natural connection could be meaningful for the draft’s 13th selection. The quote, as relayed by Yahoo, does not guarantee anything on draft day, but it is the kind of personal fit that can matter when teams are trying to separate a good prospect from the right one at a specific pick.

The timing also aligns with a concrete roster-building target. The Islanders, who will pick 13th overall in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft on June 26 in Buffalo, confirmed the position as part of the draft-lottery outcome on May 5. That makes Novotný’s comments more than just draft-room theater. For New York, the first round is where the organization usually takes the swing that changes its forward group for years, especially as the franchise looks for high-end skill and reliable maturation from its pipeline.

The combine itself is designed to produce both information and separation. ’s combine coverage noted that the event in Buffalo gives teams opportunities to conduct interviews and complete physical and medical assessments on the top prospects eligible for the Upper Deck NHL Draft on June 26-27. In practice, that means teams are not just checking skating and puck skills. They are also testing how prospects handle pressure, how they communicate, and how they present themselves when leadership and decision-making are on display.

Novotný’s measurable baseline fits the profile of a player teams tend to map onto top-six roles. The official combine list listed him at 6-foot-1.25 and 205 pounds, playing in the listed LW position. In the fitness testing results, Novotný posted 18 consecutive pull-ups, one of the strongest marks recorded in that category. In the OHL, he entered the combine after a productive season with the Peterborough Petes, posting 34 goals and 31 assists for 65 points in 58 games, according to PTBO Canada.

Interview availability was the other heavy lift. Eliteprospects reported that Novotný had interviews with 14 NHL teams on Wednesday, describing the process as unusually repetitive by the later rounds, when prospects are asked similar questions across many rooms. Novotný’s experience mirrored the way the combine works, a grind that compresses weeks of scouting work into a handful of days and leaves players juggling mental clarity with physical readiness.

also captured Novotný’s background as an adjustment story, which is often relevant to how teams project development timelines. In a pre-draft feature, reported that Novotný described his first stretch in North America as difficult after arriving from Europe, and said that finding his first goal helped him settle. That type of off-ice course correction can be a report to teams that a prospect will respond to coaching changes, performance slumps, and the faster pace of pro-style hockey.

For the Islanders, the immediate takeaway is that the team is a meaningful point of contact for Novotný, at least as he described it publicly. The longer takeaway is that New York, holding the 13th pick, will have to confirm whether that connection translates to the hockey profile the scouting staff is prioritizing at that slot. A favorite interview does not override the draft board, medical findings, or a prospect’s positional fit. Still, with the first round approaching on June 26 in Buffalo, New York’s conversations with Novotný will become part of the broader assessment of how this draft class will shape the next Islanders core.

June 26-27 will narrow every storyline into one night of selections. By then, teams will have their final view of prospects like Novotný, combining combine testing, interviews, and background evaluation. If the Islanders keep him atop their considerations, Novotný’s Buffalo week will read like more than a compliment. If they do not, his comments still underscore how, even in a data-heavy process, personal rapport and communication style remain part of the decision-making calculus.