Source: Rangers' Filip Chytil, on injured reserve, returning to his native Czechia

SUNRISE, Fla. — Rangers center Filip Chytil is returning to his native Czechia to continue his rehabilitation from what is believed to be a concussion, an industry source confirmed Friday. The news was first reported by the New York Post.

Chytil, 24, suffered what the Rangers called an upper-body injury in a collision with Carolina forward Jesper Fast on Nov. 2 and has not returned. He has been skating on his own since mid-November but has not been able to practice with the team, even in a non-contact setting. He is believed to have suffered multiple concussions in the past couple of seasons and apparently has had good days and bad days in this most recent episode.

Chytil will be supervised by medical people in Czechia with whom he is familiar and has worked with before. No timetable for his return has been set, but he will be in constant contact with the Rangers. The same industry source suggests his potential return will be determined on a week-to-week basis.

He remains on long-term injured reserve, which means the Rangers can exceed the NHL’s $83.5 million salary cap by the amount of his salary ($4.438 million) as long as he remains on LTIR.

Blue notes

The Rangers, who will play the Lightning on Saturday in Tampa, fell to 3-3 in the front end of back-to-backs. They are 5-0 in the back end  . . . With Jonathan Quick having played Friday, Igor Shesterkin is in line to start against the Lightning  . . . The Rangers were 0-for-2 on the power play, ending their streak of games with at least one power-play goal at eight —  their longest such streak since October 2009.

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.