Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

Rangers’ Chytil day-to-day with soreness

Originally posted on Daily Faceoff | By Tyler Kuehl | Last updated 5/13/24

Unfortunate news for someone trying to simply stay on the ice.

Not long before Game 5 of the Metropolitan Division Final between the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes, it was reported that center Filip Chytil will not be in the lineup.

Chytil returned to game action after initially being ruled out for the season with concussion-related issues in Game 3 of the series last Thursday. However, Chytil missed Game 4 due to an illness. Now, it is being said that the 24-year-old forward is dealing with soreness, leading to his absence on Monday night.

Filip Chytil is unavailable to play tonight. He's day to day. Yes, he missed Game 4 with an illness, but he's also dealing with some soreness after playing in his first game in six-plus months in Game 3. It is all unrelated to his previous upper-body injury.
— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) May 13, 2024

Chytil was not involved in any of the line rushes during the morning skate and stayed on the ice afterward with the scratches. Head coach Peter Laviolette did not make any immediate call on the Czech’s status.

Chytil played 12:02 in the Rangers’ 3-2 overtime win in Game 3, registering a shot on goal in 17 shifts. It was his first game in over six months.

Chytil played 10 games this season before a concussion put him on the shelf in early November. It looked like he was nearing a return in January, but a setback during rehab for the team to pack it in until next year. Prior to the injury, he had registered six assists.

The Czechia center was finally coming into his own, hot off a 2022-23 season that saw him set career highs in goals (22), assists (23) and points (45). Chytil is currently in the first year of a four-year contract with a $4.4375 million cap hit.

The Rangers head into Game 5 at Madison Square Garden with a 3-1 series lead after failing to sweep the Hurricanes on Saturday.

This article first appeared on Daily Faceoff and was syndicated with permission.

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