Rangers’ Adam Sykora expected to miss four to five months

Rangers forward Adam Sykora is expected to miss four to five months with a lower-body injury, the team said September 23.

Sykora was hurt in Monday's preseason game against New Jersey after a hit from Devils defenseman Mikael Diotte sent him into the boards. He needed assistance leaving the ice and did not return.

The injury interrupts an important stage in the 22-year-old's development. He scored three goals and added one assist in 11 NHL games last season, following time with the Rangers' Hartford affiliate.

His camp had offered a chance to press for more NHL work, but the focus now shifts to rehabilitation. The team has supplied an expected length of absence rather than a scheduled return, leaving his eventual comeback dependent on recovery.