For those who have been living off the grid, the Kings no longer have the 19th overall pick.
On June 29, Rob Blake traded away the 2022 first round pick along with Brock Faber to acquire Kevin Fiala. More about that here.
The move causes a loss of some future capital, yet the draft must go on. Certain organizational depth chart holes still remain, such as the left defense, team toughness, and goaltending. While the focus has primarily been on the blueline, Los Angeles will undoubtedly still find some depth forwards.
Adam Sykora
Vitals
Date of Birth: September 7, 2004
Height: 5’11
Weight: 174 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Forward
2021-22 Season
Sykora spent most of the season with HK Nitra in Slovakia’s top league. He had 17 points (10 G, 7 A) in 46 games.
From Boyz…
The native of Piestany, Slovakia, had a very busy travel itinerary this season. He represented his native land in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, U-20 WJC, and U-18 WJC (D1A). While the U-20 tournament was rescheduled due to COVID, he picked up silver and gold in the other tournaments.
… II Men
The majority of Sykora’s time this season has been against professional players, although he also had playing time where he played for Team Slovakia’s in this year’s World Championship – the annual tournament where players of any age can represent their home country.
Not that Syk(ora)
For clarity, there is no relation with longtime NHLer Petr Sykora. Adam’s father, Roman, played most of his career in Slovakia.
Rankings by Independent Scouting Services
Ranked No 38 by Elite Prospects. “Few players match Sykora’s intensity on the ice. He’s all-in, every shift. He bounces from opponent to opponent, barely giving them any time to handle the puck, blocks shots like he’s immune to pain, and attacks loose pucks like the fate of the world depends on his ability to catch them. On the backcheck, he pursues escaping opponents and completely neutralizes them.”
Ranked No. 30 by Hockey Prospect.“Certain players stand out because of their mental game, as opposed to their skill set. You can’t teach heart, you can’t teach a player how to develop and maintain an internal drive, who will fight for every inch of ice, who plays every shift like it’s their last. You can’t expect a player to get involved after the whistle unless it’s embedded in their DNA, and you can’t teach a player to play way bigger than their size. Which is exactly why we value the unrelenting – high octane – tenacious winger that is Adam Sykora. He not only contributed for Nitra in the Extraliga, he also had a tremendous performance at the World Championships, despite being one of the youngest players in the draft.”
Ranked No. 48 by McKeen’s Hockey. “A key element of Sykora’s game is his ability to hound the opposition and be an aggressive three-zone attacker without the puck. He makes life miserable for opponents and forces turnovers, often picking up loose pucks on his own and moving them along proactively in transition. Very strong lateral movement and edge work correlates with solid hands in escaping danger and buying time for his teammates, if not also for himself. Heady and bouncy, Sykora shows a lot of jump in getting back on defense and when trying to suffocate opposing skaters. The combination of athleticism and defensive acumen is impressive.”
See For Yourself
Here is a shift by shift video of Adam Sykora.
Final Comments
One of the key attributes Rob Blake is looking for in the organization, from top to bottom, is toughness. Sykora isn’t someone who makes a living punching faces, yet grit manifests in many forms.
This young forward is just about a week shy of being eligible for the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Despite his youth and size, he doesn’t shy away from engaging in physical contact and plays important time on the penalty kill in a league among men. Sacrificing his body to block a shot is fair game to him. Sykora is a player taken for intangibles; the skillset is a bonus.
That skillset does have limitations. On the plus side, he’s a solid skater with a deceptively quick release. The puck gets moved well in short stretches. More importantly, his strongest asset is the ability to read the play well and anticipate. There were several shifts when his high-octane pace was deliberately dialed back to cover a potential breakout pass, instead of charging ahead with reckless abandon.
The biggest criticism would be his puck handling ability and creativity. He has the capacity to drive through the opposition, yet he’s not a dangler, and sometimes he gets foiled by a well-placed pokecheck. The lack of creativity simply means there’s little deception to his game.
Sykora is the type of player who may not show up on highlights, yet his combination of intelligence, compete, and responsible play (particularly defensively) will endear him to his teammates and fans.
Should Blake select the gritty forward, the options are to play in Slovakia, Ontario, or Los Angeles. Sykora was taken first overall in the CHL Import Draft by Medicine Hat, so they seemingly have confidence in his willingness to come over and play in the WHL. Given his more likely role of playing as a depth winger, the Kings can consider integrating him into North American hockey sooner. However, there may be a benefit to moving up in Slovakia to hone his offensive skills further. Either way, this is a plug-and-play type of prospect whose tenacity will lead to great opportunities playing professional hockey.
Chat with David: You can find him on Twitter @Davidenkness to talk more hockey.
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