[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Not THAT Petr Sikora! Edition):

LHC Petr Sikora (No relation to former NJ Devil Petr Sykora, lol) has played the second-most games (22) in Czechia's top league for U-18 players, eighth-most for U-20 players, which bodes well for his future. He ranks 6th overall in U-20 scoring in that league, with 3 points for Ocelari Trinec. Most of his league play this season was in the U20 league for Ocelari Trinec, with 13 goals and 40 points in 30 games, and he's tied for 13th in the playoffs right now (tied for 1st in goals), with 5 goals and 7 points in 4 games. His regular-season ppg of 1.33 was tied for 9th overall for players with 10+ games. Sikora had 3 points in 5 games at the Hlinka, and 4 points in 4 games at the recent 5 Nations.

Sikora is another one of those "good at everything, but not elite at anything" types, who will need to round out his skill set for the next level, but has plenty of attributes that will translate well in the future. He isn't a play driver, but he can do a bit of everything, and plays a solid 200-ft game. Sikora isn't big, at 5'11",170lbs, but he plays like a power-forward and an agitator, with a fairly robust physical game- his 32 penalty-minutes in 30 games are a reflection of his style. He can throw some big hits, and will go to war in the trenches against bigger players, winning pucks with ferocity. Sikora always seems to be in the thick of the battle, and has plenty of grit, and a big chip on his shoulder- he's a bit nasty and mean, and will dish out crosschecks, slashes, as well as some hacks and whacks to get opponents off their game. He's highly active and competitive, and not at all afraid to take a hit to advance the play. Sikora has playmaking skill, and is always a threat offensively- he often finds teammates in high-danger. He has keen hockey sense and good vision, with plenty of deception and manipulation in his game to mask his intent, and he has the presence of mind to to delay while the right play unfolds, rather than throwing the puck away. He has an excellent one-timer, and will cut to the middle for shot-attempts, but gets a lot of his goals around the crease, shoveling in rebounds, or beating goaltenders 1-on-1.

Sikora is a strong puckhandler with quick hands, and is good is small areas with his strong puck protection skills. He has a wide array of dekes and feints up his sleeve to move through traffic, and retains control under pressure. He's a good skater, although his stride looks a touch awkward, but he generates good power and acceleration- he could use another gear or two though, more explosiveness, and he loses some speed in turns. He's generally a skilled and intelligent player, whose off-puck game is a plus, as he seems to be in the right place at the right time in support of his teammates. Defensively, he backchecks as hard as he forechecks, and is considered to be responsible defensively. He breaks up plays with his anticipation, helps his D down low, and uses his speed and an active stick to hound puck-carriers. When he plays at the pro level right now, his game is toned down quite a bit, even though he doesn't have as much ice-time or responsibility in higher levels, and he's a bit tentative. He also often tries to do too much and forces plays, which can lead to turnovers, and he needs to make better decisions at a much quicker rate when playing pro. Sikora needs to add bulk to his frame, smooth out his skating, and he has to get considerably stronger, while rounding out his game. I'm thinking 4th/5th round.