It is never good to see a player go down with a season-ending injury, it is even worse when it is a player that can be key to a team’s success.
The New York Rangers were dealt the double-whammy on Sunday, when it was announced forward Filip Chytil was going to be shutdown for the rest of the season.
Chytil played 10 games this season before a concussion put him on the shelf. It looked like 24-year-old was nearing a return, but a setback during rehab for the team to pack it in until next year.
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).
The question now is, where do the Rangers go from here?
With the trade deadline a little over a month away, they might ponder acquiring some help down the middle, especially with how good the team has been. Heading into their All-Star break, the Blueshirts are atop the Metropolitan Division, two points ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes. The team certainly does not want to waste a potential division championship campaign.
On Monday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk how tough of a season it has been for Chytil.
Frank Seravalli: Just bizarre how things unfolded. This guy has taken a proper amount of time to get himself the rest and healing that he needs. He’s on the upswing in Czechia with Jaromir Jagr…and now is out for the rest of the year. It’s not just a tough blow to Filip Chytil, but it’s a huge blow to the New York Rangers.
There season has been sputtering along, and they really need a boost in that bottom-six, and Chytil was supposed to be that guy. He was supposed to come back and really solidify their third-line center position.
You can watch the full segment, and the entire episode here…
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