The New York Rangers 2025-26 season had been dreadful for quite some time. With the playoffs out of the question, and the team undergoing a retool, the only real bright spot Rangers fans could look forward to is to see some of their top young players participate. No one has endeared themselves more to the fans than forward Adam Sykora.
Sykora received his first call up this past week, and he's made the most of his opportunity. In his second game, Sykora scored his first NHL goal against the Chicago Blackhawks on a two-on-one situation with a great assist from Will Cuylle. Then, in Sunday's game against the Florida Panthers, Sykora scored another goal after deflecting a shot from Adam Fox.
It may only be a handful of games, but Sykora has already become a fan favorite. But he's also won over his teammates, not because of his play, but for his positive attitude.
Adam Sykora winning over Rangers with infectious attitude
“It’s hard not to like that guy,” head coach Mike Sullivan said of Sykora, h/t Vince Mercogliano of The Athletic. “The energy that he exudes — I don’t think he’s ever had a bad day in his life.”
Sullivan was not the only one who spoke highly of Sykora's positive attitude. Forward Connor Sheary, who also scored a goal in the team's game against the Panthers, also gushed over the energy Sykora gives not only on the ice, but also on the bench.
"I don't know if you guys can see it, but his energy is unmatched. He's constantly up on his feet. He's banging his stick. He's just, I mean, with all these guys, but especially him, he just brings an energy that's contagious. He's fun to be around, fun to play with," said Sheary, h/t Mollie Walker of the New York Post.
It's one thing to win over your teammates as a rookie with your play, but to do so with your personality is a huge plus. Let's face it, the vibes surrounding the Rangers had been in the gutter for much of the season. After all, the team free-fell down to last place in the Eastern Conference, and they traded away one of their top stars in Artemi Panarin.
Sykora is just one piece of the youth movement that has helped the team show positive signs. There's goaltender Dylan Garand, who stopped 35-of-37 shots faced in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets, and saved 27-of-28 shot attempts in a 2-1 win over the Florida Panthers. Defenseman Drew Fortescue notched an assist in his debut against the Blackhawks.
While the rest of this season will serve as the start of their evaluation period for their young stars, there is also the offseason, where the Rangers could move on from some of their other players to open up spots. But thus far, Sykora has already made a strong impression with his play and personality.