Mike Sullivan reignites NY Rangers fans’ interest in lost season with promotion of Adam Sykora

The fact a captain as vocal as J.T. Miller was at a loss for words after the New York Rangers‘ loss against the Ottawa Senators should be telling of how troubling the 2025–26 NHL season has been in the Big Apple. Still, Mike Sullivan can’t throw in the towel.

In hopes of turning the tide, the Blueshirts have now called up forward Adam Sykora from AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, while sending Connor Mackey down to the minors, as announced by the Rangers‘ PR account on X (@NYR_PR).

Mackey has appeared in 45 games throughout his NHL career, which includes stints with the Calgary Flames and Arizona Coyotes, prior to his arrival in Manhattan before the 2023-24 campaign. Mackey has only made 6 appearances for the Rangers, though, whereas Sykora has yet to make his career debut. Perhaps, his rookie lap helps bring winds of change into an organization that deeply needs to find calm.

Moreover, for a fanbase that has grown accustomed to disappointing outings night in and night out in the 2025–26 campaign, at least promoting rookies into the lineup provides an element of intrigue. If they are going to lose consistently, at least fans can see new faces take to the ice. Who knows? Maybe one of them is the franchise savior.

What this move could mean for NY Rangers

Not only does this roster move signal that Sykora is trending to make his first appearance in an NHL game, but it carries more meaning. After Sullivan held rookie Drew Fortescue out of his career debut with the Rangers, Mackey’s demotion could signal that Fortescue is up for his first start.

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With Mackey out of the lineup, there is now a glaring hole on the bottom defensive pairing. That may very well be filled by Fortescue, the former third-round pick by the Blueshirts in 2023. All in all, New York could be killing two birds with one stone as Sykora joins the team and Mackey is sent down to the AHL.

Rangers have nothing left to play for

The Rangers are one loss and one Boston Bruins win away from being mathematically eliminated from the playoff race. Fans in the city know they’ve been out of the race since before Christmas, though.

With nothing left to play for, it’s time for Sullivan and the Blueshirts to go to the prospect pipeline and examine the players of the future. Sykora and Fortescue are set to have their first league experience, as a veteran player like Mackey—a pending UFA who’s only played six games in three seasons with the Blueshirts—is sent down and has likely played his last game for the organization.