NHL: Adam Sykora out 4–5 months with lower-body injury for New York Rangers, per NHL.com

New York Rangers forward Adam Sykora will miss approximately four to five months after suffering a lower-body injury, according to NHL.com’s Adam Sykora injury status report released September 23, 2026. The report states that the 22-year-old was injured in the first period of a 3–2 preseason loss to the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Monday.

NHL.com says Sykora sustained the injury when he was “caught a bit off balance” and took a hit in the corner from Devils defenseman Mikael Diotte. The account adds that Sykora fell awkwardly into the boards and needed assistance getting off the ice.

The injury affects Sykora’s opportunity to make the Rangers’ opening-night roster out of training camp. NHL.com reports that he entered camp with a chance to earn a spot after a strong finish to his previous season, including a four-point stretch of three goals and one assist in 11 games after being recalled from Hartford of the American Hockey League.

NHL.com also provides context from Sykora’s time with Hartford, where he recorded 29 points with 12 goals and 17 assists across 62 games. The report frames this production as part of why Sykora had a realistic pathway into the Rangers’ regular-season lineup heading into the preseason portion of 2026–27.

With the reported timeline putting his absence at roughly four to five months, Sykora’s injury becomes a key storyline for New York as it finishes preseason action and prepares for the start of the regular season. NHL.com’s report focuses on the injury itself and the projected length of time he will be sidelined, rather than specifying any additional medical details.

The Rangers’ remaining preseason schedule includes two games against New Jersey. NHL.com says the team will face the Devils again at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, following Monday’s contest at Prudential Center.

NHL.com also reports that New York concludes its preseason on Friday against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena. That final tune-up comes after the Monday loss in which Sykora was injured during the first period.

After preseason wraps, NHL.com notes the Rangers open their regular season against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Tuesday. NHL.com lists the game time as 8 p.m. ET and notes that it will be broadcast on ESPN, establishing the next major date on the Rangers’ calendar following the reported injury.

As reported by NHL.com, Sykora’s absence is expected to last through at least a substantial portion of the early regular season window, given the four-to-five-month estimate tied to his lower-body injury. The report does not provide a specific return date, but it confirms the projected duration and the game situation in which the injury occurred.

For the Rangers, the news comes at a point where Sykora had been positioned for an opportunity after returning from Hartford late in the prior season. NHL.com’s account ties his prior NHL stint and recent AHL production directly to the camp situation he entered, underscoring how the injury may disrupt plans for depth and roster competition at forward as New York moves toward opening night.

Written by Vancouver Television Sports Desk