New York Rangers winger dealt horrific injury blow with 4-5 month recovery timeline

The New York Rangers confirmed on Wednesday that forward Adam Sykora will be sidelined for four to five months because of a lower-body injury.

It's a rough break for a player many expected to push for a roster spot this fall.

The injury happened during Monday night's preseason clash with the New Jersey Devils.

Around the midway point of the first period, Sykora took a heavy hit from Devils defenseman Mikael Diotte that drove him into the boards awkwardly, with his right leg twisting underneath him on the way down.

Sykora needed help from teammates just to get off the ice and did not return to the game.

He had logged only 2:49 of ice time across four shifts before the hit.

The 22-year-old Slovakian winger made his NHL debut last season, appearing in 11 games for New York and finishing with three goals and four points while averaging 11:10 per night.

Down in Hartford with the Wolf Pack, he was even more productive, piling up 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points.

Sykora is entering the final year of his three-year entry-level deal, which carries a cap hit of $961,667.

Across 201 career AHL regular-season games, the former second-round pick has racked up 29 goals and 53 assists, adding four more helpers in 14 Calder Cup Playoff appearances.

With two preseason games left before New York opens its regular season on Sept. 29 against the Boston Bruins, the Rangers will now have to sort out their opening night lineup without one of their more promising young forwards in the mix.

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