Penguins’ Tommy Novak day-to-day with lower-body injury

Pittsburgh Penguins center Tommy Novak will be out of the lineup on a day-to-day basis due to a lower-body injury, Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan confirmed Tuesday per team reporter Michelle Crechiolo.

Acquired from the Nashville Predators last Wednesday prior to 2025 NHL trade deadline, Novak has since made a pair of appearances with the Penguins in which he has finished with four shots and a minus-two rating while averaging just over 13 minutes in ice time per game. On the season, Novak has totaled 54 appearances in which he has collected 13 goals and nine assists for 22 points coupled with four penalty minutes and a minus-seven mark.

Originally chosen by Nashville in the third round of the 2015 NHL Draft, Novak has seen 203 career contests split between the Predators and Penguins in which he has recorded 49 goals and 68 assists for 117 points. With the Predators in 2023-24, Novak finished fifth in team scoring after notching 18 goals and 27 assists for a career-high 45 points coming in 71 contests.

Last March, Novak signed a three-year extension that carries a $3.5-million annual average value, according to PuckPedia.

Beyond Novak, Sullivan also confirmed Tuesday that defenseman Ryan Shea is sidelined week-to-week after suffering an upper-body injury. Through 30 appearances with the Penguins this season, the 28-year-old native of Milton, Mass., has posted two goals and three assists for five points alongside eight penalty minutes and a minus-seven rating.

For the Penguins, on the season the club sits 25-31-10 and 10 points back of the Metropolitan Division rival Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wildcard seed in the Eastern Conference. Coming away with a 3-1 road win over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday, the Penguins will look to secure their second-straight victory when the club returns to the ice Tuesday to take on the Vegas Golden Knights.