Adam Sýkora

Adam Sýkora (born 7 September 2004) is a Slovak professional ice hockey forward for the Hartford Wolf Pack in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the New York Rangers in the second round, 63rd overall, of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

Adam Sýkora
Born (2004-09-07) 7 September 2004
Piešťany, Slovakia
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 179 lb (81 kg; 12 st 11 lb)
Position Forward
Shoots Left
NHL team (P)
Cur. team
Former teams		 New York Rangers
Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL)
HK Nitra
National team  Slovakia
NHL Draft 63rd overall, 2022
New York Rangers
Playing career 2021–present

Playing career

Sýkora was drafted by the New York Rangers with the 63rd overall pick of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Rangers on 15 July 2022.[1] He joined the Rangers for the beginning of their 2022 training camp but was returned to HK Nitra of the Slovak Extraliga after playing one preseason game.[2]

Sýkora scored 8 goals and had 13 assists in 38 games for HK Nitra in the 2022-23 season.[3] He joined the Hartford Wolf Pack after HK Nitra was eliminated from the Extraliga playoffs in March 2023.[4]

International play
Medal record
Ice hockey
Representing  Slovakia
Hlinka Gretzky Cup
Silver medal – second place2021 Czech Republic/Slovakia

Sýkora competed in Ice hockey at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics in the boys' 3x3 mixed tournament.[5]

He represented the Slovak national under-18 team on their runner-up team in the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, scoring two goals in five tournament games, including one in the semifinals game against Finnish national under-18 team.[3][6]

Sýkora played for the Slovak national team in the 2022 IIHF World Championship, in which Slovakia finished in eighth place. Sýkora scored two goals and had one assist in six games during the tournament.[3][7][8]

Player profile

Sýkora's strengths as an ice hockey player are speed, defense and competitiveness, but his size likely hurt his NHL draft position.[8][9] The Hockey News writer Steven Ellis wrote in advance of the 2022 World Championships that Sýkora "is an active forechecker who doesn't let his 5-foot-10 frame hold him back against the older and more physically mature competition in the Slovak men's league" and that "his playstyle and motor in combination with his skill and knack for finding a way to score give him the ability to play up and down the lineup."[7] The Hockey News writer Tony Ferrari praised Sýkora's speed and creativity on offense and his backchecking ability and commitment on defense.[10] Rangers' director of player development Jed Ortmeyer said of him after he participated in the Rangers' 2022 prospect camp "How can you not like him? He's got a smile on his face all the time. Just positive, he wants to work, he's excited to be here. Great energy in the room. It was fun to work with and get to know him this week."[11] During the Rangers' 2023 development camp Ortmeyer described him as a "high energy guy."[12]

HK Nitra general manager Tomáš Chrenko praised Sýkora's work ethic and said that:

When he was younger, I didn't think that he would be so good as a skater, but this is the result of his hard work. At the end of the shift, he still looks fresh because he's in such good physical condition...He plays like he has no fear. He goes everywhere. If he thinks it can help the team, he’ll take any role.[13]

Chrenko noted that as a young player he was already the best defensive forward and a first pair penalty-killer for HK Nitra.[13] However, some scouts feel that his offensive upside is limited and that he has no outside shot.[13]

Sýkora said that he models his game after Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins. Sýkora said that "I really like Brad Marchand from the Boston Bruins. He's like a rat and he isn't scared of (taller) players."[14]

Prior to the 2023-24 NHL season, USA Today' writer Vincent Z. Mercogliano rated Sýkora as the Rangers 4th best prospect.[13]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2019–20 HK Nitra Slovak-Jr. 93580 —————
2020–21 Team Slovakia U18 Slovak-Jr. 32022 —————
2020–21 Team Slovakia U18 Slovak.1 133696 —————
2020–21 HK Levice Slovak.1 61456 40114
2020–21 HK Nitra Slovak 150222 —————
2021–22 HK Nitra Slovak-Jr. 10000 —————
2021–22 Team Slovakia U18 Slovak.1 30002 —————
2021–22 HK Nitra Slovak 46107176 192352
2022–23 HK Nitra Slovak 38813218 81344
2022–23 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 20000 40110
Slovak totals 9918224016 273696

International
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2022 Slovakia WC 8th 62130
2022 Slovakia WJC 9th 410127
2023 Slovakia WJC 6th 51010
Senior totals 62130

References
  1. "Rangers Agree to Terms with Adam Sykora". NHL.com. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  2. "Rangers Assign Adam Sykora to HK Nitra". NHL.com. 27 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  3. "Adam Sýkora". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  4. "Rangers Assign Forward Adam Sýkora to Wolf Pack, Pack Ink Bryce McConnell-Barker to ATO". Hartford Wolf Pack. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  5. "Ice Hockey - Men's Mixed NOC 3-on-3 - Black Team". Lausanne2020.sport. Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympics. Archived from the original on 24 July 2020.
  6. Ellis, Steven (6 August 2021). "Slovakia, Russa to Play for Gold at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup". The Hockey News. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  7. Ellis, Steven (12 May 2022). "Men's World Championship Set to Showcase 2022 NHL Draft Talent". The Hockey News. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  8. Neschis, Matthew (8 July 2022). "Rangers pick Adam Sýkora with their first selection of 2022 NHL Draft". New York Post. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  9. Mercogliano, Vincent Z. (10 July 2022). "Breaking down every Rangers draft pick". Star-Gazette. pp. 1C, 5C. Retrieved 9 March 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  10. Ferrari, Tony (11 August 2022). "Prospect Pool Overview: New York Rangers". The Hockey News. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  11. Walker, Mollie (15 July 2022). "Rangers sign Adam Sýkora to three-year entry-level deal: 'Best day ever'". New York Post. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  12. Walker, Mollie (8 July 2023). "Speedy Rangers prospect Adam Sykora begins next steps of development with high hopes". New York Post. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  13. Mercogliano, Vincent Z. (5 September 2023). "NY Rangers 2023 prospect rankings: No. 4 has the look of a valuable role player". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  14. Campbell, Lauren (8 July 2022). "Rangers Draft Pick Adam Sýkora Models Game After Bruins' Brad Marchand". NESN. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
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