Former Rangers center in ‘real good place’ ahead of latest injury comeback
Unfortunately, Filip Chytil’s been down this road many times before. But in of itself, it’s good news that the former New York Rangers center is close to playing in an NHL game once again,
Three months after he sustained what the Vancouver Canucks called an upper-body injury — but is suspected to be yet another concussion — Chytil is again a full participant at practice. The next big step is playing his first game since Oct. 19, though no one is saying exactly when that will be.
“I’m very happy [that] I’m very close to being back,” Chytil told reporters Sunday.
He’s not the only one happy. Canucks coach Adam Foote is thrilled for Chytil, the extremely likeable 26-year-old who’s sustained numerous head-related injuries during his nine-year NHL career.
“He seems so happy, been around him a lot, and he seems real confident. So, it’s nice to see him feel that, right?,” Foote said Sunday. “He seems like he’s a in a real good place.”
Chytil’s latest injury occurred on a massive open-ice hit by Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson. There was no contact with the head, but the shoulder check was forceful enough to upend Chytil and send him flying to the ice.
“Of course, the hit was a little bit late, but it’s part of the game. When I look back, there are details I could do different, but in that speed, in that moment, you’re not thinking about those too much,” Chytil explained. “That hit is behind me now. I can learn from it … I just have to work on how to avoid those hits.”
Last season, not long after the Rangers traded him to the Canucks as part of the J.T. Miller deal, Chytil sustained a head injury in a mid-March game against the Chicago Blackhawks on a blindside hit and missed the rest of the season.
Chytil arrived at training camp this past September in high spirits, healthy and rejuvenated. And he scored three goals in the first six games, before the Wilson hit kayoed him from the Canucks lineup.
“It was early in the year, but he was really good,” Foote stated.
Former Rangers center Filip Chytil closing in on Canucks return after ‘long three months’
Chytil hasn’t been fully healthy since 2022-23, when he set NHL career-highs with 22 goals, 23 assists and 45 points in 74 games with the Rangers. The following season, he played just 10 games due to a concussion and subsequent setback in his recovery.
New York’s second pick in the first round (No. 21 overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft had 11 goals and 20 points in 41 games with the Rangers last season before the trade to Vancouver. He had two goals and six points in 15 games with the Canucks ahead of the injury that ended his season early.
Like the Rangers, the Canucks cratered the past two seasons after finishing first in their division in 2023-24. The Canucks (16-28-5) are winless in their past 11 games (0-9-2) and sit dead last in the NHL standings with 37 points.
Vancouver traded rugged forward Kiefer Sherwood to the San Jose Sharks on Monday, and earlier this season traded its captain Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild in a blockbuster deal. It’s rumored that the Canucks aren’t done, and could cut bait with star center Elias Pettersson as well before the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline.
So, yes, the Canucks could use a dose of good news, not to mention a talent upgrade on their roster. Chytil’s return hopefully checks each of those boxes for them.
“It’s been a long three months, a lot of hard work behind me. Just now I need some more practices with my teammates and whenever I’m ready, I’m going to be back and I can’t wait for that day,” he said.
Chytil also sounded wistful about what he’s endured all that he’s missed during his NHL career because of the injuries.
“From the beginning, it was very hard, because I was hopeful that I can manage to play all 82 games, but it wasn’t the case,” Chytil said. “Sometimes it’s the days like this, the last two years, that have been very hard for myself and for my wife, for my family, especially. I missed so many events, I missed so many games in NHL, now I’m gonna miss Olympics as well. So, it sucks, but it is what it is.”
