The New York Rangers began the season with high expectations for Filip Chytil and he earned a spot as the team’s second-line center. However, a concussion kept him out of the lineup for more than six months and his long history of concussions is very concerning.
Vincent Trocheck did an excellent job stepping in as the Rangers’ second-line center and he was their best forward in the postseason. However, the team struggled to find the right fit at center for their third line and it certainly hurt them in the playoffs. Chytil will be an X-factor for the team in 2024-25 and he can be a difference-maker if he stays healthy.
Chytil’s Play
The Rangers drafted Chytil in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft and he made his debut with them during the 2017-18 season. He established himself in the NHL in 2018-19 but he missed a lot of time over the next few seasons with multiple injuries including a few suspected concussions.
After struggling during the 2021-22 regular season, Chytil broke out in the postseason playing alongside fellow young forwards Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko. He came through with clutch goals and played a big role in the Rangers’ unexpected run to the Eastern Conference Final, finishing with seven goals and two assists in 20 games.
Chytil’s combination of skill, size, and speed led to some highlight-reel goals early in his career but he was inconsistent and went through a few extended scoring droughts. In 2022-23 he got stronger and looked more confident with the puck. He consistently held onto it and looked to make plays in the offensive zone which resulted in a breakout regular season. He had 22 goals and 23 assists in 74 games.
In Chytil’s first few seasons, he went through stretches when he was not noticeable unless he scored. During his run in the 2022 Playoffs as well as the 2022-23 season, he was noticeable whether he scored or not and he also showed improvement in his defensive play.
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The hope for the Rangers was that Chytil would continue to play a big role this season but his injury ended his regular season after just 10 games. The team announced he would be out for the season but he was able to return during the second round of the playoffs, and most importantly, he finished this season healthy.
Rangers Did Not Find a Solution at Center on Their Third Line
With Chytil out, the Rangers acquired Alexander Wennberg at the trade deadline and he became the center for the third line. He added some much-needed speed to their lineup and earned a reputation as a shutdown forward. He was strong defensively in the regular season with his new team but he struggled offensively and had just one goal and four assists in 19 games.
In the playoffs, Wennberg’s offensive struggles continued as he failed to convert on chances from the slot and missed an open net. For the most part, he played well defensively but he had a few bad giveaways in the first round against the Washington Capitals and the second round against the Carolina Hurricanes. He played well against the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final and even scored an overtime goal in Game 3 but finished with just one goal and one assist in 16 playoff games.
While Wennberg was a key part of the Rangers’ penalty kill, he did not play his best hockey with them. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent and it is unlikely that the Rangers will re-sign him.
For Chytil and the Rangers Moving Forward
While Chytil’s health is a big concern, he is a talented player who is still just 24 years old. He has three years remaining on his contract and it would be difficult to trade him now after he missed the majority of this season. If he can play the way he did in 2022-23, he would improve the third line and give the Rangers much-needed secondary scoring.
