{"id":554245,"date":"2026-03-30T13:34:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-30T13:34:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/554245\/"},"modified":"2026-03-30T13:34:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T13:34:09","slug":"its-hard-not-to-like-that-guy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/554245\/","title":{"rendered":"‘It’s hard not to like that guy’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Three games into his NHL career, Adam Sykora doesn\u2019t appear to have an \u201coff\u201d button.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The 21-year-old has been an absolute ray of sunshine in an otherwise dark and gloomy Rangers season from the moment he arrived in New York. A smile has yet to leave his face. He would burst if he didn\u2019t express the abundance of gratitude that has filled him since earning this opportunity.\u00a0<\/p>\n

More than that, Sykora has left his fingerprints on each of his first three games in more ways than one.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know if you guys can see it, but his energy is unmatched,\u201d Conor Sheary said of Sykora. \u201cHe\u2019s constantly up on his feet. He\u2019s banging his stick. He\u2019s just, I mean, with all these guys, but especially him, he just brings an energy that\u2019s contagious. He\u2019s fun to be around, fun to play with.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sykora scored his second goal in as many games<\/a> in a 3-1 win over the Panthers on Sunday afternoon, tipping an Adam Fox shot past Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky for the 1-0 lead relatively early in the second period.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"AdamAdam Sykora of the New York Rangers celebrates his first NHL goal against the Florida Panthers. Getty Images<\/p>\n

It came not long after Sykora engaged in his \u201cfirst-ever fight in my life\u201d with the Panthers\u2019 Luke Kunin.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Based on Sykora\u2019s goal celebration \u2014 jumping into the boards with an open-mouth smile \u2014 you would\u2019ve thought it was his first. Though it\u2019s possible the Slovak wing will never lose this level of enthusiasm.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel [my] confidence might go up a little bit just playing more with the puck and just kind of settle things down,\u201d Sykora said. \u201cI\u2019m never going to change anything on my game. Just still play simple. Have a good stick on the forecheck. Play through people. Be alive on the bench. Those kinds of things I want to bring to this team, and I\u2019ll try my best.\u201d<\/p>\n

#NYR<\/a> Adam S\u00fdkora confirmed it was his “first ever fight in my life” today in win over Panthers:<\/p>\n

“I don’t want to drop the gloves. I still got to watch it. I don’t know what happened there, but, yeah, I just try to bring everything every day. Sometimes, these things happen too.” pic.twitter.com\/WHctNXCPX9<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) March 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Continuing to skate on the right wing of Vincent Trocheck and Will Cuylle, Sykora has racked up two goals on seven shots while averaging 12:31 of ice time per game so far.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The production is welcome, but Sykora\u2019s personality is one that has brought the Rangers lineup back to life.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard not to like that guy,\u201d head coach Mike Sullivan said. \u201cThe energy that he exudes, I don\u2019t think he\u2019s ever had a bad day in his life. He\u2019s a fun guy to be around, but his work ethic, his attitude, the energy he brings is contagious. He\u2019s an easy guy to root for, I can tell you that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Noah Laba returned to the Rangers lineup for the first time since March 18, when the rookie was sidelined with a lower-body injury for five straight games.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While centering the fourth line between Jonny Brodzinski and Jaroslav Chmelar, Laba assisted on Sykora\u2019s goal in his 66th game of the season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"NewAdam Sykora made his debut for the New York Rangers on March 25. NHLI via Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought he was good,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cThe biggest thing that I think he adds to our lineup is size and speed. He\u2019s pretty good in the faceoff circle. He can kill penalties, but he can skate. His north-south game is good. We played him today with [Chmelar] and Jonny Brodzinski. I thought that line was excellent all night long.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin stopped 26 of the 27 shots he faced in his 23rd win of the season Sunday afternoon against the Panthers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Juuso Parssinen was returned to Hartford on Saturday. The Finnish center was a healthy scratch in seven of the past eight games.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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