Some times in life we always look outside ourselves to improve and then every motivational speaker that wants to make a quick buck tells us to "Look Within." We as people take personal inventory (physical, mental and spiritual) to see how to improve ourselves with what we already have. When it comes to the New York Rangers, fans and pundits may look outside the organization for improvement from Patrick Kane to Tanner Jeannot, but perhaps it's finally time to look within...also because one player is really making them do it: Filip Chytil.
Drafted 21st overall in the 2017 Draft, the youngest player eligible was selected by the New York Rangers and many writers referred to a "risk", "project", with "upside". Not exactly the best description you want to hear for a 1st Round Pick. A matter of fact, it was believed that the "safe" pick was Lias Andersson (drafted 7th overall). Andersson never materialized as a Rangers, but Chytil... well his first impression was in a pre-season game against the NJ Devils, Chytil would score the game winner in OT while taking everyone's attention away rookie Jimmy Vesey's debut. Chytil was so decisive that many people forgot he just turned 18. Chytil would spend most of 2018 in the AHL and show flashes of the player he could be through the next three seasons. Whether it was wing or center, the Rangers couldn't see exactly where he fits.
Perhaps that's why Chytil's point production was so inconsistent. Oddly, as inconsistent as he was, Chytil's year end numbers looked similar. 23, 23, 22, 22 points per season in his first four years, but Chytil's "coming out party" was in the 2022 playoffs, where he centered "The Kid Line" with Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko. Chytil would finish with 7 goals and 2 assists, but 3 of this goals were GAME WINNERS. His -2 was not bad considering the majority of his time was 5-on-5. As far as the eye test would tell you, the 22 year old would toss defenders off of him like rag dolls. Fans expected Chytil to hit the ground running this year and instead, he numbers were fine. 17 points in 29 games as a 3C, not bad. However, January changed everything.
As rumors always swirl about how to upgrade the 3C, Chytil started playing the best stretch of his career. Chytil would light the lamp 8 times with 4 assists for 12 points in 12 games (a career high for a month). The number that's REALLY sticking out is his +17 on the season. Chytil has improved his defensive numbers across the board after not being known as a defensive stalwart. Last night, he picked the pocket of Calgary's Nazem Kadri and showed off his quick release, scoring his career high 18th goal of the season. What's surprising is that Chytil is doing this with and Average Time On Ice (ATOI) of 14:34 in January. Against the Vancouver Canucks, Chytil deposited his 19th goal of the season. Gallant tends to use his "horses" (Kreider, Zibanejad, Panarin, Trocheck, Goodrow and Vesey), for Chytil to snare 16:33 ATOI in February is quite an accomplishment. It's not all peaches and cream because one number that Chytil has struggled with is face-offs. His 37.8% face-off numbers are worrisome, but Gallant works around it by getting Barclay Goodrow to take defensive zone draws for Chytil. Perhaps the extra ice time will help the young Czech achieve the "upside" everyone's been waiting for.
It's good that he's producing, because Chytil will be an RFA in 2023. Him, fellow linemate Alexis Lafreniere, forward Vitali Kravtsov, defenseman K'Andre Miller and Libor Hajek are all restricted free agents. The Rangers will have $15m of projected cap space for them as of right now. One would have to prioritize Miller and Chytil over the rest, but what is the final number coming in and who gets the money? Previously the conventional thought of "upgrading the 3C" was because of these pending contract situations as well. Right now Chytil is making the case to be the 2C over Vincent Trocheck, who has been outproduced by Chytil since the turn of the calendar to 2023. Trocheck is under contract for 6 more years with the Rangers. As everyday Chytil sets a new career high in goals, assists, points and plus/minus, the dollar value goes up on his contract. It won't break the bank, but it could make it hard enough to re-sign the others. While the Rangers hold the RFA hammer, it's going to be hard to lock them all down if the production keeps going up.
The upside of Filip Chytil may very well arrived and while he's generating plenty of excitement, Chytil's future is still a little unclear. It's perhaps the answer the Blueshirts have been looking for since selecting him in 2017. Time to take the reigns off and drink the Chytil-Juice.
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