Former Stanley Cup Champ Tomas Nosek Signs Contract for 2026-27

After two seasons as a depth forward with the Florida Panthers, 11-year veteran Tomas Nosek wasn't getting any bites from an NHL team in free agency, so the soon-to-be 34-year-old is heading back home to Czechia. 

Tomáš Nosek se vrací domů! 🏡

Zkušený útočník odešel z Pardubic do NHL v roce 2014. Od té doby nasbíral v nejlepší hokejové lize světa přes 500 startů. V roce 2025 získal Stanley Cup. Nyní se vrací tam, kde to všechno začalo. pic.twitter.com/dDwixfVJ07

— HC DYNAMO PARDUBICE (@HCPCE) July 31, 2026

Nosek began his pro career for his hometown team Dynamo Pardubice in 2011 at the age of 19. After three seasons there, he came to North America as an undrafted free agent and wound up playing over 500 games for five different teams, culminating with a Stanley Cup triumph in 2025 with the Panthers. Now he's returning to where it all began for him.

The 6'3" bottom-six forward has excelled at playing a defensive role in the NHL over 11 seasons, winning faceoffs and using his physicality. He recorded 607 hits in 514 games, while adding 120 points.

Nosek heads home to Czechia

Nosek was an expansion draft pick of the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017, and spent four solid seasons there in a dependable bottom-six role. In a terrific two-year run in Boston after that, he was a regular contributor to a team that went 116-38-10 over those couple of seasons. 

After a one-year stopover in New Jersey, he landed with the Panthers and helped them to a Cup championship in a depth role. 

This past year with Florida, he missed the first five months and 60 games of the season recovering from off-season knee surgery, then broke his leg in mid-April, ending his 2025-26 campaign after just 21 games and four points.