New Jersey Devils sign veteran RW Petr Sykora to one-year, $650,000 deal -NHL News Update
Veteran right winger, Petr Sykora, attempted to make a comeback into the National Hockey League (NHL) after accepting a tryout offer with New Jersey and succeeded after impressing the team management during training camp and the preseason as Devils signed
on the player to a one-year deal worth $650,000 on Wednesday, October 5, 2011.
Petr Sykora, a former 18th overall pick during round-one of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft by New Jersey Devils, played with the team from 1995 to 2002, until joining Anaheim Ducks following a transition to New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh
Penguins and finally playing his last major league game with Minnesota Wild in 2009-2010.
The veteran forward left the North American league to play with foreign clubs, HC Plzen 1929 of the Czech Republic and Dynamo Minsk of the Russian Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), splitting the 2010-2011 season between both.
New Jersey Devils head coach, Peter DeBoer, could not stop and admit that he did not have much expectation of the Czech Republic player when he entered their training camp.
"I went in with very small expectations for him", DeBoer said. "He came in as a late addition to camp, but I knew that he had a history with the club. I didn't think much of it".
Being a team that had one of its worst seasons, DeBoer thinks that Sykora will be a valuable addition on to his team that is in dire need of a scorer, adding that it was a surprise to see how he could play.
"It's no secret that we were the lowest-scoring team in the league last year", DeBoer said. "Petr can score. He's managed to create offence and create it consistently through training camp. ... He has definitely surprised us, but he did what he had to do
to win the job".
Petr Sykora, a player who has at one time potted 81 points (35 goals, 46 assists) with Devils back in the 2000-2001 season, might just be able to make a comeback and again lead New Jersey to the playoffs they missed last year.
Sykora is expected to be on the line-up with New Jersey when they inaugurate their regular season against Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, October 8.
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