The New York Rangers have agreed to terms with second-round pick, Adam Sykora, on a three-year, entry-level contract, getting him into the organization right away.
It’s a bright future for the 63rd overall pick, who is one of the youngest players in the entire draft class. Sykora won’t turn 18 until September 7, just a few days before the cutoff, and yet is already taking part in an NHL development camp–and impressing in the process.
Another member of the historic Slovakian draft class, Sykora had ten goals and 17 points in 46 games with Nitra MHC this season and compared himself to Brad Marchand at the draft, calling the Boston Bruins forward a “rat” and hoping to follow in that playstyle. There is absolutely no half-speed for Sykora, who is extremely hard-working and willing to battle for pucks all over the rink.
Notably, he was the first-overall pick at this year’s CHL Import Draft, suggesting that he’ll be playing for the Medicine Hat Tigers at some point. Whether that is this season or not will be up to the Rangers, as Sykora noted to Vince Z. Mercogliano of USA Today at the draft. At the very least, Rangers fans will get to see him up close when he undoubtedly makes it into a World Junior tournament–he already suited for Slovakia at this year’s World Championship against NHL players.
So let’s see if I have this right: some kid who finished 13th in scoring for his Slovakian team thinks he’s better than Brad Marchand?
This should be amusing, down the road. Better be wearing a flak jacket, kid.
Sorry that’s my fault for the wording. He doesn’t think he’s better than Marchand, but that he plays like him and embraces that “rat” persona on the ice. He was saying it as a positive.