– Marko Sikic –
Kitchener Jr. Rangers (Alliance) | Centre | 2019 OHL Draft Eligible
Ontario, Canada | 6-foot-2, 175-pounds | 2003-born
The Kitchener Jr. Rangers were a dominant and persistent force in Alliance Hockey during the 2018-19 campaign, skating to 45 points on the season — a total which tied the club for second best in the league.
A high scoring team which received stable defending and quality goaltending throughout the season, the Jr. Rangers brought a consistent effort on a nightly basis and earned a wealth of team success as a direct result. Throughout their 33 regular season games and into the playoffs, one driving force for the Jr. Rangers continued to be centre Marko Sikic — a sizeable pivot who size, skill, and ability to process the game come naturally.
Widely regarded as a top centre eligible for the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, Sikic could very well be made an early round selection owing to his strong all-around style of play.
Strengths:
- Vision and Playmaking
- Shot Accuracy
- Two-Way Capabilities
- Size and Physicality
- Discipline
Over the course of the 2018-19 Alliance season, Sikic blasted home 19 goals and 30 assists for a total of 49 points — a sum which ranked as the fifth-best offensive mark in the league. Driving Sikic’s offensive productivity for the Jr. Rangers this past campaign was his stellar on-ice vision, hockey sense, and natural playmaking abilities.
Related: 2019 OHL Draft Rankings
A pass-first player who fuels his team’s offensive game, Sikic can move the puck with absolute authority and is composed and accurate in his ability to do so. Further, since he possesses a hard and accurate shot, Sikic commands greater time and space from his opponents while in possession of the puck owing to his presence as a versatile offensive threat.
What’s more is that in addition to Sikic’s lethal offensive game, the young centre has quickly become a standout player at both ends of the ice. Committed to defending his own zone, Sikic back-checks with a sense of purpose and can dismantle plays devised by his opposition single-handedly owing to his stable skating, active stick and physical approach to defending.
Related: 2019 OHL Draft Prospect Profiles
Rounding out Sikic’s growing game is the youngster’s discipline on the ice. Although he features stellar size and the willingness to use his body in order to disrupt plays and force turnovers, Sikic is incredibly composed and rarely takes penalties in doing so. In fact, Sikic recorded a mere eight minutes in penalties through his 33 regular season games played this season — a total which was one of the lowest in all of the Alliance.
Area of Improvement:
- First-Step Acceleration
- Lateral Mobility
Sikic is an incredibly strong two-way centre who can take control of the game at both ends of the ice owing to his size, intelligence, and poise with the puck. However, in order for both Sikic and his particular qualities to excel at the OHL-level, the young pivot must work hard in the off-season to improve his acceleration and lateral mobility.
Related: 2019 OHL Draft — Alliance Prospect Profiles
Although already a strong and sturdy skater, Sikic would do well to strengthen the explosiveness of his first step — doing so would allow Sikic and his towering 6-foot-2 frame to reach top speed in a shorter amount of strides and time. Standing hand-in-hand with Sikic’s acceleration is his lateral mobility, as the youngster would be well-served to improve his agility in order to make a seamless transition to the OHL-level where speed and dexterity are absolutely crucial.
Future Potential:
Boasting stellar size, soft hands, a stable stride and natural offensive instincts, Sikic has all the makings of a top-six forward at the OHL-level. Although his agility could use strengthening in the months ahead, Sikic’s all-around game and two-way play will be far too valuable to pass up come the 2019 OHL Draft.
As one of the most consistent and lethal offensive players throughout the 2018-19 Alliance campaign, don’t be surprised to see Sikic selected inside of the second round come Apr. 6th, 2019.
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