Although the New York Rangers sidelined Adam Sykora as Mike Sullivan awaited an injury update, they didn’t have to sit around for too long. Unfortunately, the test results confirmed a long-term injury, and the Broadway Blueshirts are set to be without the young forward for a long time in the upcoming NHL season.
“Tough break for Adam Sykora: New York Rangers say he’ll be out 4-5 months with that lower-body injury,” Vince Mercogliano of The Athletic reported on X.
Sykora wasn’t going to start the season in New York’s NHL lineup. Instead, he was set to be a top-six forward for the AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack. However, just like he did last year when making his pro debut, Sykora was expected to be called up from time to time to fill in for depth positions on Sullivan‘s team.
Sykora’s injury affects NY Rangers’ depth plans
The latest setback is a tough blow for the Blueshirts, even if its impact isn’t felt immediately. Sykora’s long-term injury also arrives on the heels of the Rangers confirming Sullivan can give up on four players (Urho Vaakanainen, Juuso Parssinen, Justin Dowling and Dennis Cholowski), who were placed on waivers.
Adam Sykora #38 of the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
Though pending confirmation of the exact timeline, New York could already foresee a long-term injury for Sykora based on how he left the preseason game against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center.
Thus, if Sullivan and company were confident enough to leave the four players on their way to the AHL up for grabs for 24 hours, it might not change now that Sykora’s injury has been confirmed.
With the 22-year-old Slovak forward out of the picture for at least four to five months, there will be better opportunities for other players in New York’s system, and maybe one of Parssinen and Dowling benefits from it.
Sykora enters contract year
There is no such thing as a good time to suffer a long-term injury, but Sykora’s timing is heartbreaking for several reasons. First, because it happened in the preseason opener and on his first shift of the game. Second, because Sykora really needed to showcase himself in the preseason to leave a lasting impression on Sullivan and the Rangers’ staff before heading back to the minors.
Lastly, Sykora is entering a contract year, with his three-year, entry-level contract ($2.49 million total value and $831,666 cap hit) expiring after the season, when he will become an RFA.
By the time he returns from injury, Sykora may not have enough opportunities to prove his worth and raise his price tag before free agency. When all three elements are combined, they paint a clear picture of just how crushing the lower-body injury sustained at The Rock was.
Key takeaways
- Adam Sykora out 4-5 months following a lower-body injury in the preseason opener.
- New York recently placed four depth players on waivers before the diagnosis.
- The 22-year-old forward is currently entering a contract year before restricted free agency.
