Canucks prospect Adam Novotny’s season path could include either the OHL or an Abbotsford assignment, depending on how updated NHL–CHL eligibility rules apply to his European loan situation.
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Vancouver Canucks GM Ryan Johnson has previously said he expects prospect Adam Novotny to return to the OHL this season, but a possible Abbotsford assignment is also on the table.
Novotny was selected 24th overall by the Canucks in the 2026 NHL Draft. Draft materials described him as an OHL player, but the situation described ties him to a loan arrangement rather than a straightforward transfer.
The details provided say Novotny remained under contract with his Czech club, Mountfield. Last season, he was loaned to the OHL’s Peterborough Petes.
The reporting also described how a change in the NHL–CHL agreement could allow certain 19-year-old players drafted from the CHL to play in the AHL if they meet criteria, including having played three seasons in the CHL. It said the “three seasons in the CHL” requirement may not apply in the same way to players whose circumstances involve loan status instead of a full transfer into CHL control.
For Novotny specifically, the reporting said he turns 19 in November, placing him in the 19-year-old category under the classification used in the updated rule framework. It also said the loan nature of his Mountfield arrangement could affect how the experience criteria are handled.
Based on those factors, the reporting said both outcomes remain plausible this season: returning to Peterborough in the OHL as Johnson previously expected, or receiving an AHL assignment to Abbotsford if the Canucks apply the updated eligibility framework to players in Novotny’s situation.
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