Photo credit: Kelowna Rockets

By Regan Bartel

Sniper battles back from leukemia

Novak’s absence not lost on Rockets

Jul 7, 2023 | 10:18 AM

For the first time since 2018, Pavel Novak isn’t on the Kelowna Rockets training camp roster.

Novak is back home in Czechia after a shocking announcement in June that he was being treated for cancer.

Novak’s absence isn’t lost on anyone, including general manager Bruce Hamilton.

“He is one of the special people we have ever had”, Hamilton told RocketFAN. “The European players are generally quiet guys that aren’t the leaders in the room. He was not that.”

Novak was named an alternate captain last season, helping guide the team along with a leadership group that included captain Tyson Feist and assistants Jake Lee and Colton Dach.

Rockets face road test in games 3 and 4

Goaltending, discipline and depth driving 2-0 series lead over Blazers

Mar 30, 2026

Rockets DOA. Dominate. Overcome. Achieve

Things that make me go hmm....

Feb 02, 2026

Too good to ignore, too hated to care

Kelowna Rockets: The team the Internet loves to hate

Jan 13, 2026

“He is very similar to the personality of Leon Draisaitl when he was here,” Hamilton said. “He wanted to win and that was what he is all about.”

Novak was a leader both on and off the ice during his brief two year stint in the Okanagan. The soft-spoken forward potted 25 goals and collected an impressive 58 points in 58 games in 2019-2020, leading the team in scoring. Novak was named the Rockets’ rookie of the year. The Minnesota Wild took notice too, selecting him in the fourth round of the 2020 Entry Draft.

Unable to play during the pandemic-filled WHL bubble season, Novak stayed home for the abbreviated 24 games before returning in 2021-2022 by upping his goal total to 29 while placing second on the team in points with 72. Those efforts earned him a nomination as a BC Division second team all-star.

“My hope is (once healthy) he goes to Minnesota Wild’s farm team and gets started playing pro. If this is where they decide he needs to be (in the WHL), we will make things work for him. He is ready to play pro”, Hamilton added.

Novak has represented his country twice at the World Junior Hockey Championships, receiving the honour in 2021 before repeating the feat for Czechia at the 2022 tournament, which was cut short last Christmas due to COVID-19 when it was held in Edmonton.

“From all reports, he is doing great”, Hamilton continued. “He is well on his way to turning the corner here. There is great optimism that by Christmas he will be back in North America.”

Novak’s WHL career had more ups than downs, but it wasn’t flawless. Who will forget the eight game suspension he received in November, 2019 after a checking from behind major and game misconduct against the Kamloops Blazers. Novak accumulated just 47 penalty minutes in 117 career games.

Selected 13th overall in the CHL Import Draft in 2019, Hamilton believes Novak, despite his small size (5’9 – 170 pounds), will prosper in pro considering the adversity he’s faced in dealing with his health.

“If there is a guy to cheer for coming out of what he is coming out of with leukemia, it is Pavel, because he is such a good person.”

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RocketFANdotca

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rocketfandotca