Filip Chytil’s road to the second-line center has always been uphill. As he started finding his game, he was behind Ryan Strome in the pecking order, with whom the New York Rangers‘ prized possession, Artemi Panarin, had immense chemistry. And just as he looked poised to take the top-six center role, they signed Vincent Trocheck to a long-term contract, again giving him competition.
Chytil proved he wants to remain and succeed with the Rangers by signing a four-year extension of his own, doing so when others may have tried to find a franchise with which his talents may be given a better chance to be displayed. Despite his raw talent, size, and speed, he has been as streaky a player as any, and his inconsistency has diminished his chance of being an everyday second-line center.
He improved defensively and set a career-high in goals (22), assists (23), and points (45) last season. It was a solid year for Chytil, which earned him a new contract. Yet, his counterpart, Trocheck, had 22 goals, 42 assists, and 64 points. He played well in his role as Panarin’s center and, before the trade deadline, performed excellently on the first power-play unit.
Although one that will likely have multiple answers as the season continues, a question that has often been asked this offseason is, ‘Who will win the 2C position for the Rangers?’ Fans and writers alike continue to pose all the possibilities. Still, ultimately the play of Chytil and Trocheck, plus the style Peter Laviolette wants the team to play will be the most significant factors in the decision.
Can Chytil Make the Jump to the Number Two Center?
The Rangers went from a rebuild to a roster with just three forwards under 30 years old in just six seasons. Their Stanley Cup window is now, and with a quick trigger pulled in the firing of Gerard Gallant, the team has made it known that a Cup is an expectation.
Their championship aspiration rides on the shoulder of their younger forwards, Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, and Chytil need to take that next step. For Chytil, the next step is to center the second line, a role which would see his career highs from the 2022-23 season likely surpassed.
One of the reasons he has yet to reach that role is his inability to win faceoffs, something that has led many to believe he may be best suited as a winger in the NHL. Chytil’s career high in faceoff percentage is a meek 43.41%, a mark he achieved during 2021-22. Last year, his percentage fell to 39.78%, a mark that is not suited for a top-six center.
Chytil has an amazing wrist shot and top-flight speed. He is able to use his size and speed with his skill to create offense. Playing alongside a gifted passer like Panarin would open up shooting lanes for him, whose pure sniping ability would surely inch him toward the 30-goal mark.
There is no doubt Chytil’s all-around game has come a long wayover the past few seasons, but consistency has eluded him. Last year, he went 18 straight games without a goal after scoring seven goals in the previous five games. When he is hot, there is no one better at finding the net than the Czech forward. That ability to find a consistent offensive impact, similar to the way Chris Kreider struggled to find that consistency early on in his career, is the difference factor in his game making a jump.
Related: New York Rangers 2023-24 Roster Predictions: Post-Free Agency
Depending on how training camp develops and how the lineup unfolds, Laviolette would be wise to consider Chytil for a long-term look at 2C, a role that he has fought to achieve during his five full seasons in the NHL.
Will Trocheck Maintain His Spot in the Top Six?
Trocheck is not a high-end scorer, but what he brings to the table is a consistent two-way game that the Rangers are in desperate need of. He showed his ability to fill that role last season, surpassing his predecessor Strome’s 59-point high when he was the Rangers’ second-line center.
His game complements the superstars that surround him, and he brings a speed factor similar to Chytil’s that most of the Rangers lack. Unlike the center vying to claim his role, Trocheck is keen on faceoffs. He won 56.07% of his draws last year, a new career-high for him.
Undoubtedly, his comfort level will improve during his second year with the Blueshirts, and with a new coach leading the way, opportunities to play a structured game that fit his style will only catapult his game this season. But there is a chance that his game could complement a makeshift third line with Kreider on the left and Blake Wheeler on the right, which would allow him to flourish while Chytil gets a deserved opportunity in the top six.
Despite the various line combinations and which player would mesh better with a given unit, Trocheck did not play his way out of the role during his first year in New York. A switch would mean the reins have been passed to Chytil, a 23-year-old forward that has a ton of upside.
Nonetheless, Trocheck is more than capable of handling the center duties on line two, a role that he has held on numerous teams throughout his career. His faceoff ability makes him a valuable commodity on the power play as well as at even strength, and his net-front presence is a good complement to Panarin’s perimeter game.
Who Gets the Job?
Both players bring unique skill sets to the table. In the end, the second line center will be determined by the best line combinations in training camp and whether or not Laviolette deems it plausible to have a 2a and 2b setup (from ‘The lineup combinations Peter Laviolette might be considering after the Rangers’ summer moves,’ by NY Post – 7/25/23). The Rangers lack depth on the right wing, that is something no one can debate. Should Lafreniere take the jump to the right wing in stride, Chytil may be the better option to center the first overall pick and Panarin.
Trocheck seems likely to remain the second-line center if Wheeler clicks on line two. But there are numerous scenarios that could play out, including one in which Brennan Othmann makes the squad out of training camp, deepening the right-wing pool.
I do think Trocheck keeps the job out of training camp, with his experience and faceoff ability giving him the edge over Chytil. That may not stick as the season goes on, especially if the consistency that has lacked from Chytil’s game starts to show itself to be an issue of the past.
With Mika Zibanejad holding the reins to the first line and newly acquired Nick Bonino solidifying the fourth line, the Rangers’ center core is looking as deep as it’s been in quite some time. I give the edge to Trocheck, but I don’t think it is long before Chytil officially claims the second-line center position as his own.