New York Rangers Prospect Looking To Take The Next Big Step Following Rookie Camp
The New York Rangers prospect Adam Sykora has aspirations. The 21-year-old forward who has just celebrated his birthday has returned with revelations of doing bigger things with his professional hockey career, and not just playing as a member of the Hartford Wolfpack: he was to make a jump to the NHL.
Adam Sykora, 21 years old, is showing up for his fourth Rangers training camp.
This will be Sykora's third season in North America, and he's assumed a role of leadership. The Slovakian-born forward feels it's his duty to his less experienced teammates who have attended their first camp.
All the while, his ambitions remain bigger than training camp itself.
«I'm just trying to be the best guy on the ice, be a leader, just support everybody, be a great leader on this team,» Sykora explained at the start of rookie camp. «I know I'm not the oldest guy here. But I played two years in Hartford (of the American Hockey League) and have a lot of experiences that I can share with everybody to make this team great.»
While he's not the oldest player in camp, with Scott Morrow and Brennan Othmann (22), and goalie Hugo Ollas (23), he feels driven to step up and become a leader and a future Ranger.
He's poised to make a play for a bottom-six spot in the Rangers' lineup, with his great work ethic. Sykora's upbeat personality will help him build relationships with ease.
His resume is well-documented on the ice, killing penalties, he chases the puck with relentlessness, and can be difficult to play against.
«I know I'm a different player from those the New York Rangers have drafted,» Sykora explained. «So, that's kind of my path - forecheck, backcheck, all the skating, hard work, that's kind of my job that gets me here. And I want to put it all together to get to the next level. Defensive things, penalty kill, blocking shots and [being] a team player, helping and supporting each other. Be alive on the bench and support the other guys here.»
While Sykora's ambitions are known, the Rangers want him to increase his offense and continue to mature as a player.
He hasn't played his age-21 season yet, but the team feels that rushing the prospect would be a bad idea. They need him to show he can produce and add some size to his frame.
«I've got a lot of confidence in me. I know it's like fourth or fifth year here for me. So, I've got to prove I'm ready for the season and the camp, and just show from the beginning I'm ready.»
He'd be held scoreless against the Flyers, and it seems that is his greatest obstacle to becoming an NHL-ready forward.
The implication for the 63rd overall pick can't be more obvious: he needs to find his finishing ability and show during training camp coming up that he's learned from his coaches and implemented their teaching in order to mature his game.
Previously on Blade of steel
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 15 | 42 ANSWERS New York Rangers Prospect Looking To Take The Next Big Step Following Rookie Camp Will forward Adam Sykora, a New York Rangers prospect, make the team in 2026? | ||
| Yes | 17 | 40.5 % |
| No | 25 | 59.5 % |
| List of polls | ||