Dennis Schneidler-Imagn ImagesAdam Sýkora is the jolt of energy that doesn't seem to ever run out of steam.
In just three NHL games since being called up from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, Sýkora has made an immediate impact for the New York Rangers.
In New York’s 3-1 win over the Florida Panthers on Sunday afternoon, Sýkora came through with the winning goal, as he celebrated in grand fashion, showing a true sense of joy and passion you honestly rarely see at this level.
“It was a pretty proud moment for me, and then for us as a team,” Sýkora said of his game-winning goal. “We won the game, so that’s the most important.”
Sýkora is the kind of player who’s truly unique.
Between his exuberant celebration, the way he stood up instead of sitting in the penalty box, stretching and anxiously watching his team play, his fiery energy, and physical scrappy game, Sýkora is able to make himself stand out amongst the rest of the pack.
"I don't know if you guys can see it, but his energy is unmatched,” Conor Sheary said of Sýkora. “He's constantly up on his feet. He's banging his stick. He's just, I mean, with all these guys, but especially him, he just brings an energy that's contagious. He's fun to be around, fun to play with."
The constant go-go-go mindset that the 21-year-old forward plays with begs the question: how can he continue to play with this much energy, and will he ever run out of steam?
“I don’t think there’s any doubt he’ll maintain the enthusiasm,” Sullivan said. “It’s hard not to like that guy. The energy that he exudes, I don’t think he’s ever had a bad day in his life. He's a fun guy to be around, but his work ethic, his attitude, the energy he brings is contagious. He’s an easy guy to root for.”
Sýkora’s fearless attitude that he presents on the ice was fully evident on Sunday when he dropped the gloves and fought Luke Kunin.
Despite never fighting throughout his entire hockey career, Sýkora didn't back down from the bigger Kunin, and he stood his ground.
“It was my first ever fight in my life,” Sýkora said. “I don't want to drop the gloves, so I don't know. I’ve still got to watch it. I don't know what happened there, but I just try to bring everything every day. Sometimes these things happen.”
It took a long time for Sýkora to finally get this NHL opportunity, but he hasn’t wasted one second of his time with the Rangers, showcasing what made him such a beloved player down in Hartford.
The Slovakian native’s infectious personality and joyful persona are vibrant, both on the ice and in the locker room. Just having him around seems to be uplifting the spirits of the team in a time when there’s not too much to be excited about.
This final stretch of games to close out the 2025-26 campaign is essentially an audition for Sýkora to see if he is worthy of securing a spot on the Rangers’ opening-night roster come next season.
While that will be no easy feat, especially given the rotating number of bottom-six players the Rangers currently have under contract, Sýkora is proving that he’s capable of playing at the NHL level, and he’s hungry for more.
“I'm never going to change anything on my game,” Sýkora emphasized. “Just still play simple, have a good stick on the forecheck, play through people, be alive on the bench. Those kinds of things I’m going to bring to this team, and I’ll try my best.”