New York Rangers center Filip Chytil reportedly saw a specialist, and it was determined that he is not dealing with a concussion and he will join the team in Calgary ahead of their game against the Flames on Thursday.
The Rangers play the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday before traveling to Calgary, and it is unknown if Filip Chytil will be able to play on Thursday against the Flames, but it is big news that he is not dealing with a concussion. Chytil is a huge part of the Rangers’ success, as he provides depth on the third line at the center position. He has a history of concussions that have caused him to miss significant time earlier in his career, including last season. It is a sigh of relief for the Rangers to hear that he has not suffered another one.
It would not be a surprise if the Rangers were cautious with Chytil. It is more important for him to be healthy for the majority of the season and a potential playoff run, than it is for him to play against the Flames on a Thursday night in November. The Rangers’ third line without Chytil has been caved in at times. The team would have a clear need for a center at the trade deadline if he is not healthy. Chris Drury might still acquire a center just given Chytil’s injury history.
Rangers working through lineup decisions amid hot start
The Rangers are off to a good start record wise at 11-4-1, but that does not mean there are not questions that they face as a team. This group of players is established as one of the top contending teams in the NHL, despite not winning a Stanley Cup. The five-on-five play has been a pressing issue for years at this point, and although it did improve to start the season, Chytil being on the third line at center was a huge part of that.
Head coach Peter Laviolette played with some lineup changes over the past few weeks to see if other combinations would work, but they did not. The forward groups are back to essentially what they have been going back to the beginning of last season. There are also questions with the defensive pairings. Ryan Lindgren’s future with the team is in question as he is on an expiring deal. These will all be questions that Laviolette and Drury will need to answer before the playoffs.
