The Rangers needed to wait till choose 63 to pick their first participant within the 2022 NHL draft, however actually made a splash by taking Adam Sýkora, a Slovakian ahead, with the choose.
The lefty-shooting winger is thought for his blazing pace, robust protection and aggressive nature. Nevertheless, groups had been cautious of choosing the younger phenom within the first spherical due to his dimension – at five-foot-11, 174 pound.
Sýkora performed for Nitra MHC within the Slovakian Extraleague, the place he recorded 10 targets and 17 factors over 46 video games. The 17-year-old’s spectacular play earned him a spot on Slovakia’s World Championship crew, during which he posted two targets and one help in six video games.
Regardless of being one of many youngest gamers in his draft class, many recommended Sýkora for his aggressive maturity and max-effort enjoying type.
Whereas competing in Slovenia, Sýkora ceaselessly displayed his willingness to undertake puck battles, labor in troublesome areas of the ice and chase after pucks on the forecheck. His usually energetic stick, lane-clogging skill and robust puck-handling in transition made Sýkora among the finest defensive-minded ahead prospects within the draft. Nevertheless, his lack of offensive upside limits his possibilities at being a primary line participant, in response to scouting studies.
Rangers crew president Chris Drury has preached the philosophy of taking one of the best participant accessible – no matter place – and Sýkora is a major instance. The Blueshirts sport a number of formidable athletes on the left wing, together with Chris Kreider, Alexis Lafreniere and Artemi Panarin, but lack the identical depth on the middle place. They notably handed on Danny Zhilkin, the consensus finest middle accessible at choose 63, in favor of Sýkora, who was considered as a greater total prospect.
Sýkora will moreover fulfill Drury’s want to make the Rangers a more durable, quicker and grittier crew.
The Rangers chosen Canadian middle Bryce Mcconnell-Barker within the third spherical, adopted by one other middle — Noah Laba — within the fourth.
The Rangers then took defenseman Vittorio Mancini and left wing Maxim Barbashev with their two picks close to the tip of the fifth spherical.
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