‘Top-rated player’ surprisingly skating with Rangers after season ending injury
Coming off the heels of reports that Filip Chytil had his locker filled with his training gear after a season-ending injury, he was a full participant at practice on Friday morning.
“It’s great to have him back out there,” coach Peter Laviolette noted. “There’s no timetable on (Chytil). We’re not going to rush him back. Whenever he feels, and the powers that be feel that he’s in a good spot, that’s a different story. Right now, there’s absolutely no timetable”
While it was great news that Chytil was back with the team, it’s even better to see him back on the ice since he was ruled out for the season on January 28, retroactive to a suspected head injury sustained November 2.
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Filip Chytil practicing with Rangers
The Rangers will proceed with caution and keep his health as the number one priority. However, this update makes it plausible that Chytil could return at some point during the playoffs. This would give a huge boost and some added depth to New York’s forward group.
“He’s coming back from something that is substantial,” Laviolette said. “You’re talking about one of our top-rated players with the possibility of coming back at some point.”
Chytil was reportedly rotating in on the third line at practice, but this should not be overanalyzed. It will still be some time until Chytil makes his return, and he still may not return until next season. Fans should not expect to see him in action over the next two games.
In just 10 games this season, Chytil was unable to find the back of the net, but logged six assists.
Laviolette makes lineup adjustments
Following another dud against the Philadelphia Flyers in a 4-1 loss on home ice, Laviolette is likely making some changes to the lineup.
Matt Rempe looks like he will slot back in on the fourth line, while Jonny Brodzinski appears to be the healthy scratch. Laviolette may be gearing up to face the New York Islanders with Rempe in the lineup after some questionable hits nearly injured Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck in the teams’ last meeting on Tuesday night.
In addition, there has also been some shuffling of the defense pairs. K’Andre Miller and Braden Schneider have been reunited, while Erik Gustafsson and Jacob Trouba become the third pairing.
“We’re still looking at lineup decisions,” Laviolette explained. “We’ve won a lot of games with the pairs the way that they are as well.”
Here are the lines from Friday’s practice:
Kreider – Zibanejad – Roslovic
Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere
Cuylle – Wennberg – Kakko
Vesey – Goodrow – Rempe
Lindgren – Fox
Miller – Schneider
Gustafsson – Trouba
Shesterkin
Quick
After suffering back-to-back losses for the first time since early March, the Rangers need to find a way to get their game back on track. There are still valuable points to be earned in the last two games of the regular season. Points that can clinch the top seed in the Metropolitan Division as well as the Presidents’ Trophy.
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