Tyler Sikura (born May 18, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently playing for HC Bolzano of the ICE Hockey League (ICEHL)

Tyler Sikura
Sikura with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2023
Born (1992-05-18) May 18, 1992 (age 31)
Aurora, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 194 lb (88 kg; 13 st 12 lb)
Position Centre
Shoots Left
ICEHL team
Former teams
HC Bolzano
Springfield Falcons
Portland Pirates
Iowa Wild
Rockford IceHogs
Cleveland Monsters
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2015–present

Playing career edit

Tyler Sikura played midget hockey in the Markham Waxers system, then played two years of Junior A hockey with the Newmarket Hurricanes. Sikura played four years for the Dartmouth Big Green, where he was named a first team Ivy League All Star in 2013.[1] He captained the Big Green for his final two seasons.[1] Following his collegiate career, he played a pair of games for the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League (AHL).[2]

He spent most of the next two years with the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL before being traded to the Manchester Monarchs.[3] In 2017, Sikura landed a spot on the Rockford IceHogs, the AHL affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks. He scored over 20 goals and earned a contract from the Blackhawks for the following season.[4][5] As well, he tied a franchise record for most consecutive games with goals scored with five.[6] At the conclusion of the 2017–18 season, Sikura was named the teams Most Valuable Player.[6]

On July 1, 2019, Sikura continued his tenure with the Rockford IceHogs, returning on a one-year AHL contract.[7] He was subsequently named an alternate captain alongside Jacob Nilsson and Matthew Highmore.[8] In the 2019–20 season, Sikura posted 14 goals and 20 assists for 34 points in 63 appearances with the IceHogs before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a free agent, Sikura left the IceHogs to sign a one-year contract to continue in the AHL with the Cleveland Monsters on October 14, 2020.[9] In the pandemic shortened 2020–21 season, Sikura increased his offensive output, registering 21 points in just 29 regular season games. On July 28, 2021, he was signed by the Monsters' NHL affiliate, the Columbus Blue Jackets to a one-year, two-way contract.[10]

After two seasons within the Blue Jackets organization, Sikura left as a free agent and continued his career in the AHL, agreeing to a one-year contract with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, affiliate to the Pittsburgh Penguins, on October 3, 2022.[11]

Personal life edit

Sikura's brother Dylan was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2014 and is currently playing within the organization. Sikura is half Slovakian.[12] His grandfather escaped Czechoslovakia and arrived in Nova Scotia in the 1950s.[13] He ran a thoroughbred race horse breeding farm, Hill 'n' Dale Farms, until his death, in which it was taken over by Sikura's uncle and father.[13][14]

Career statistics edit

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2008–09 Markham Waxers OJHL 3 0 0 0 0
2009–10 Newmarket Hurricanes OJHL 49 11 24 35 12 19 8 11 19 14
2010–11 Newmarket Hurricanes OJHL 39 21 33 54 6 12 3 6 9 8
2011–12 Dartmouth College ECAC 33 11 14 25 12
2012–13 Dartmouth College ECAC 34 12 20 32 25
2013–14 Dartmouth College ECAC 25 3 8 11 8
2014–15 Dartmouth College ECAC 33 10 14 24 16
2014–15 Springfield Falcons AHL 2 0 0 0 0
2015–16 Toledo Walleye ECHL 68 16 32 48 30 7 0 1 1 4
2015–16 Portland Pirates AHL 4 0 0 0 0
2016–17 Toledo Walleye ECHL 39 13 16 29 8
2016–17 Iowa Wild AHL 16 0 0 0 0
2016–17 Manchester Monarchs ECHL 8 1 4 5 2 19 5 6 11 10
2017–18 Rockford IceHogs AHL 74 23 16 39 18 13 5 1 6 2
2018–19 Rockford IceHogs AHL 50 7 12 19 20
2019–20 Rockford IceHogs AHL 63 14 20 34 22
2020–21 Cleveland Monsters AHL 29 11 10 21 10
2021–22 Cleveland Monsters AHL 75 15 21 36 45
2022–23 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 71 9 24 33 31
AHL totals 384 79 103 182 146 13 5 1 6 2

Awards and honours edit

Award Year
College
All-Ivy League First Team 2013

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Tyler Sikura". dartmouthsports.com. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  2. ^ "TYLER SIKURA SIGNS ATO CONTRACT WITH SPRINGFIELD OF THE AHL". dartmouthsports.com. March 18, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  3. ^ Monroe, Mark (March 6, 2018). "Former Walleye forward Tyler Sikura signs NHL contract". toledoblade.com. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  4. ^ "Tyler Sikura". Eliteprospects.com. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  5. ^ "Blackhawks agree to one-year contract with Tyler Sikura". sportsnet.ca. March 6, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
  6. ^ a b "ROCKFORD ANNOUNCES 2017-18 TEAM AWARDS". icehogs.com. April 13, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  7. ^ "IceHogs agree to terms with Tyler Sikura". Rockford IceHogs. July 1, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  8. ^ "Kris Versteeg Named 2019-20 Team Captain". icehogs.com. October 2, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  9. ^ "Monsters sign Tyler Sikura to AHL contract". Cleveland Monsters. October 14, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  10. ^ "Columbus Blue Jackets sign Tyler Sikura to a one-year contract". Columbus Blue Jackets. July 28, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  11. ^ "Penguins sign centerman Tyler Sikura". Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. October 3, 2022. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  12. ^ Wheeler, Scott (September 18, 2017). "Blackhawks' Sikura brothers take different paths to childhood team". theathletic.com. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  13. ^ a b Wykes, Tris (December 1, 2012). "Dartmouth's Sikura Has 'Got That Vision'". The Valley News. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  14. ^ "Hockey East roundup: Four assists from Sikura spark Northeastern". uscho.com. Retrieved November 29, 2018.

External links edit