Novak was drafted by the Wild 146th overall in the 5th in 2020 and had recently signed an entry level contract, so imagine his disappointment as he had to put his professional dreams on hold to fight cancer.
As of October 5th, 2022 Novak had a change in fortunate as he announced that he beat cancer.
The timeframe for the prospect to return to the ice has not yet been established, but comparables are Oskar Lindblom, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2019 and it took a year for the former Flyers forward to return to the ice after 13 months, on Jan 13, 2021.
It looks like Novak may not have to wait so long, after a five-month turnaround.