Petr Sikora, More Confident, Ready To Put Himself Higher On Capitals' Radar: 'I Want To Be On The Ice More'

For Washington Capitals prospect Petr Sikora, his post-draft year had just a bit of everything.

At first, things weren't going according to plan, with Sikora struggling to find consistency and produce. Then, he went to the World Juniors and broke out for Czechia, putting up four goals and three assists through seven games while getting under Canada's collective skin en route to a bronze medal.

"It was getting better every game," Sikora said of his play. "World Juniors, it was pretty good, I get better ice time."

Through 34 games playing against grown men with  Oceláři Třinec, the 19-year-old put up seven goals and eight assists for 15 points, five times better than the three points he put up in 22 games last season. He started to play a bigger role as time went on, and though he missed the playoffs with injury, he was happy with how he performed and evolved his game.

"Such a good season," he said. "I get more confidence. When I get more confidence, it's much easier."

The 6-foot, 194-pound forward is hard on the forecheck and takes good care of the puck, and he doesn't shy away from battles to control play, either. His hunger to score also drives him to be more dangerous in all three zones.

As he continues his development, Sikora is looking forward to continuing to round out his game as a two-way forward while working toward earning his entry-level contract.

"I just want to play more," Sikora said, adding, "Be on the ice more and improve myself."

How Chisholm Fits Into The Capitals' Blue Line, Providing Insurance & Flexibility

After seeing Martin Fehervary's absence weigh heavily in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Washington Capitals knew it was necessary to shore up the blue line this offseason.

So, at the 2025 NHL Draft, Washington acquired another defenseman, bringing in Declan Chisholm from the Minnesota Wild and subsequently signing him to a two-year deal, while also parting ways with Alex Alexeyev.

Chisholm is a good passer and underrated puck mover who takes care of his own zone first, and at 6-foot-1, can get in his opponents' way. He also sacrifices the body to block shots and doesn't shy away from puck battles. 

The 25-year-old appeared in 66 games for the Minnesota Wild this past season, putting up 12 points while averaging 16:60 minutes per game.

While he's expected to play the role of the extra defenseman for Washington, who already has three established pairings, he's certainly expected to compete for games and ice time and is an NHL-ready option that can draw in at a moment's notice.

"Having seven really good D, you have a really good defenseman that's not happy, but I think it just gives us a lot of options," general manager Chris Patrick said.

Overall, though, Chisholm is looking forward to bringing a new look to the backend.