With his hard-hitting, agitating style, Cizikas found a home in the New York Islanders lineup. The 5-foot-11, 201-pound center did so by slowly working his way up.

Cizikas was selected by the Islanders in the fourth round (No. 92) in the 2009 NHL Draft after playing two seasons with Mississauga of the Ontario Hockey League. He remained with Mississauga two more seasons, scoring 54 goals and 126 points, and served as captain in 2010-11. Cizikas also won a silver medal with Canada at the 2011 World Junior Championship.

He turned pro in 2011-12 and spent most of the season with Bridgeport of the American Hockey League, but also earned his first call-up to the Islanders, making his NHL debut Feb. 24, 2012, against the New York Rangers. He had four assists in 15 games with the Islanders before being returned to Bridgeport.

Cizikas began the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season with Bridgeport and had 10 goals and 21 points in 31 games before joining the Islanders when NHL play began. He spent the remainder of the season with the Islanders and scored his first NHL goal Jan. 29, 2013, against Marc-Andre Fleury in a 4-1 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Cizikas became a mainstay in New York's lineup and a regular on the penalty kill. In 2015-16 he formed a formidable fourth line with Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin that helped the Islanders win a playoff series for the first time since 1993.

The Islanders signed Cizikas to a five-year contract on June 2, 2016.