Petr Sykora is back with Devils, well sort off. He was one of five invited to attend Devils training camp on a tryout basis. Others invited are former Maple Leafs defenseman Anton Stralman, former Sharks, Canucks, Sabres and Panthers forward Steve Bernier, and junior players Justin Barnett and Thomas Nesbitt. Sykora was first drafted by the Devils in 1995, but was traded in Summer of 2002 to the then Anaheim Mighty Ducks in exchange for Oleg Tverdovsky and Jeff Friesen. 4 other players were involved in the deal, but they were all minor leaguer's. Although Mike Commodore has evolved as an everyday NHL defenseman.
Stralman, a defenseman has 11 goals and 63 assists in 212 career NHL games with Toronto and Columbus as well as 11 goals and 15 assists in 98 Swedish Elite League games. Bernier, a 2003 first round pick of the Sharks played last year for new Devils coach Peter DeBoer in Florida and has 76 goals and 83 assists in 385 career games. Sykora has 302 career goals and 375 assists in 935 games in the NHL and won the cup with the Devils in 2000 and with the Penguins in 2009. He has 32 career goals and 37 assists in the playoffs in 115 games.
Sykora has struggled to make and play in the NHL in the past 2 seasons ever since Pittsburgh won the cup. With the depth at wing for the Devils, it will be tough for him to make the team, but he will get every opportunity to do so along with Steve Bernier, who I think has a great shot to make the team if he plays well in the preseason. Stralman might make it since the Devils are sort of thin on defense, but might be back and forth between minors much like Sykora and Bernier could be. The other two in Barnett and Nesbitt will likely make Albany. Devils veterans will report for physicals on Friday and open practice this Saturday at Prudential Center.
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