Los Angeles, Calif. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Sabres utilize the first of three selections in the seventh round of the 2025 NHL Draft to select forward Melvin Novotny from Leksands IF's J20 program in Sweden.
The 6-foot-1, 187-pound forward produced 38 points (12+26) this past season for Leksands IF, ranked him fifth on the J20 roster. In seven playoff games, Novotny was able to produce six points (1+5).
The Sweden native has also represented his country in multiple international tournaments, including the Under-18 World Championship this past April and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup before the start of the 2024-25 season.
Novotny is set to make the jump to North America for the 2025-26 season, where he is set to join the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League. From there, he is committed to play at the University of Massechusetts (UMASS) starting in the 2026-27 season.
The 18-year-old is the son of Boris Novotny, who was a well-known judo fighter representing Slovakia.
Here is what Elite Prospects has to say about Novotny:
"The majority of Novotny’s value comes from his brain. At his best, he’s a chess player who uses his teammates as his pawns, throwing them pucks to retrieve while himself moving into favorable positions in the offensive zone. With the puck, he keeps defenders on their toes and doesn’t just opt for the simple plays, instead delaying and looking for the play with the highest value."
Buffalo's next selection in the seventh round comes with the 199th overall pick.