The New York Rangers defeated the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on Thursday night in Madison Square Garden. However, Filip Chytil’s upper-body injury from a second-period collision with teammate K’Andre Miller raised serious concerns.
Chytill, who has a history of head injuries, including one last season in which he was limited to 10 regular-season games after suffering an upper-body injury in November, appeared shaky after Miller’s elbow accidently touched him on the side of the helmet or maybe the jaw. At 12:26 in the second period, he got up from the ice and skated to the bench before going to the dressing room for medical attention.
The 25-year-old returned to the game later in the second period, taking one 61-second shift. That shift ended at 17:22, and he did not play again. Chytil was ruled out of the third period with an upper-body injury.
“Day by day. “Getting evaluated right now,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said after the game about Chytil.
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Filip Chytil off to excellent start with Rangers after injury issues last season
Chytil has made a strong start to this season after missing nearly all of 2023-24 due to what is believed to have been a serious head injury. In 15 games, he has registered nine points (four goals, five assists) and has a plus-11 rating, anchoring New York’s most reliable two-way line alongside Will Cuylle and Kaapo Kakko.
This line has dominated at 5v5 play, outscoring opponents 11-0 this season. Heading into Thursday’s game, their expected goals-for percentage (xGF) stood at an impressive 65.29%, placing them in the league’s top 10, according to Natural Stat Trick.
With Chytil healthy, the Rangers boast significant strength down the middle among their top nine forwards, complemented by Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck—a combination that few teams can effectively counter.
If Chytil is unable to play, Jonny Brodzinski is expected to fill in at center. The 31-year-old has been a healthy scratch for five consecutive games and six of the past seven. He has one goal and one assist in seven games this season.
Last year, Brodzinski played in a career-high 57 NHL games, mainly substituting for Chytil until Alex Wennberg was added just before the trade deadline. Wennberg has since moved on, signing with the Sharks in the offseason.
The Rangers are off on Friday, so further updates on Chytil’s status may come on Saturday. New York begins a four-game road trip on Sunday against the Seattle Kraken.
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