2026 Season Preview: Adam Sykora

Despite having already played three seasons in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack, Adam Sykora is only 21 years old, and still has untapped potential. In his three seasons in Hartford, he has played in just over 200 games and accumulated 82 points. In both 2024 and 2025, Sykora cracked the top 10 for Scott Wheeler's New York prospect rankings, albeit in a fairly weak prospect pool at the time, in large part due to how young he is. Last season, he finally got his shot on Broadway, but his path to a spot on the opening night lineup remains foggy.

Previous Performance

During the 2025-26 season the Wolf Pack, Sykora registered 12 goals, 17 assists, and 29 points, which was the third most on the team. His best stretch came between Feb. 21 and March 7, where he netted four goals and five assists within a seven game stretch.

After that, he cooled down a bit before being recalled by the New York Rangers. His best game in Hartford came in January when he recorded one goal and two assists in the team's win over the Providence Bruins. Sykora also proved to be a viable piece on the Wolf Pack's penalty kill unit, showing he had the potential for a bottom six NHL role.

When Sykora joined the Rangers, he accounted for three goals and an assist in 11 games. Although a small sample size, these are respectable numbers. But what was more noticeable was the energy he brought to the team. With each shift, he brought tenacity and was annoying to play against.

Aside from his lone fight in his third NHL against the Florida Panthers, Sykora stayed out of the penalty box and did not put his team in a bad situation. He was also willing to do the dirty work blocking 10 shots during his short NHL stint at the end of the season. Sykora also brought a strong forecheck, something head coach Mike Sullivan desires. He was also sound defensively with an expected goals against per 60 of .069, per Evolving Hockey.

Expectations

I believe Sykora stands in a very similar position as Brett Berard did at this time last year. Despite an admirable stint at the NHL level, there may not be room for him with the Rangers. With Taylor Raddysh still on the team, that could very well leave only one spot on the fourth line for a number of players to compete for, and similar to Berard, it doesn't make sense for him to watch from the press box.

What may also go against Sykora is that he is waiver exempt, unlike other potential fourth-line options like Matt Rempe. He will also be competing with his good pal Jaroslav Chmelar, who caught the eyes of many despite being a less well known prospect.

If he does start the year with Hartford, he could find himself in a very similar situation. For years, the Wolf Pack have been a laughingstock, but they have made a number of moves, including hiring Jay Leach as their head coach, projecting that won't be the case anymore.

It is likely that both Liam Greentree and Cole Beaudoin start the year in the AHL, and other young forwards like Brody Lamb and Nathan Aspinall will soak up more playing time. At this point in time, the development of these players and others should take precedent over Sykora in the AHL.

Mike Sullivan stated at his end-of-year press conference that he wanted his bottom six players to take a larger role on the penalty kill. As players like Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller get older, coupled with the departure of Vincent Trocheck, there are potentially jobs available on the short-handed unit.

Predictions

AHL: 50 GP | 6 G | 16 A | 24 PTS
NHL:  22 GP | 3 G | 4 A | 7 PTS

Not knowing where Sykora will spend his season makes it hard to predict what his performance will be. I do think he starts the year in Hartford with Chemlar beating him out for the final spot. I believe if they were going to move Raddysh, they would have done so by now, and I don't believe the Rangers want to risk losing Rempe to waivers.

However, if there is a long-term injury within the bottom six, I do believe he will be one of, if not the first, call-ups on the team. Last season with Gabe Perreault, the organization showed a willingness to let prospects develop in the minors, and hopefully the same is true for Greentree and Beaudoin.

With the added talent in Hartford, I do see his points dropping a little, but being experienced and another year under his belt, it could make up for the lesser playing time. With the Rangers, I do think there is a chance when there he gets a shot killing penalties but will see limited five-on-five playing time. While the points may not be there, other intangibles will be, and he could be the type of player Sullivan wants in the line up game in and game out.