Petr Sıkora (born November 19, 1976 in Pilsen,
Czechoslovakia) is a professional ice hockey player,
currently playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the
National Hockey League.
Before being drafted, Sykora spent several seasons
in the Czechoslovak Extraliga and the IHL. As a
Cleveland Lumberjack, Sykora became the youngest
player ever to play in the IHL at 17 years and 71
days.
In the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, Sykora was drafted in
the first round, 18th overall, by the New Jersey
Devils. Among that draft class, only Jarome Iginla
has scored more points.
Sykora began his NHL career in 1995-96 with New
Jersey, posting 42 points in his rookie campaign, as
well as being chosen as the NHL Rookie of the Month
for December. In his fourth NHL season, his career
would take off, recording a breakout 72 points,
which still stands as the second highest total of
his career. As part of the Devils' effective A-line,
with Patrik Elias and Jason Arnott, he helped lead
the team to a Stanley Cup in 2000. The next season,
Sykora and the Devils were only game away from
repeating as Stanley Cup champions, but lost in the
seventh game to the Colorado Avalanche. That year,
Sykora recorded career highs in goals (35), assists
(46), and points (81).
However, the next season, Sykora's offensive
production dropped to just 48 points, and the before
the start of 2001-02, he was traded to the Mighty
Ducks of Anaheim for Jeff Friesen and Oleg
Tverdovsky. In his first season with Anaheim, Sykora
appeared in his third Stanley Cup final, but lost to
his former teammates from New Jersey. En route to
the finals, he scored the game-winning
quintuple-overtime goal in the fourth-longest
playoff game in NHL history in Game 1 of the quarter
finals against Dallas.
In 2002, Sykora was selected to play for the Czech
Republic in the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City,
where the team placed fourth. Two years later,
Sykora also represented the Czech Republic in the
2004 World Cup. However, his greatest achievement on
an international level came the following year
during the 2005 World Championships, in which Sykora
helped lead the Czechs to the finals to play Team
Canada. In a stunning upset, the Czechs beat Canada
3-0, marking Sykora's first gold medal in an
international tournament.
While the NHL lockout was in effect, Sykora played
for Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the Russian Super
League, scoring 31 points in 45 games. As NHL play
resumed, in 2005-06, Sykora requested to be traded
from Anaheim and on January 9, 2006, the New York
Rangers acquired Sykora in exchange for young
defenceman Maxim Kondratiev and the return of a 4th
round draft pick the Rangers had previously traded
to Anaheim.
After completing the season with New York, it was
announced on July 7, 2006, that Sykora would not
return to the Rangers, and he was subsequently
signed to a one-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers.
On a line with countryman Ales Hemsky, Sykora
maintained the previous few seasons' scoring output
and managed 53 points.
As Sykora chose not to re-sign with Edmonton, in
July 2007, Sykora signed a 2-year contract with the
Pittsburgh Penguins as an unrestricted free agent.
With Pittsburgh, Sykora provided high caliber talent
to complement the Penguins' young superstars. After
initially playing with Sidney Crosby, Sykora was
later lined up with Evgeni Malkin as Crosby suffered
an injury towards the end of the season. Benefitting
from such quality linemates, Sykora enjoyed his best
offensive season since 2000-01, tallying 63 points.
During the 2008 Stanley Cup finals against the
Detroit Red Wings, Sykora scored the game-winning
goal after "calling" the goal to the on-ice
announcer Pierre McGuire in the third overtime
period of game 5, forcing a sixth game in the
series.
