Rangers' Filip Chytil doesn't make trip to Seattle after collision against Sharks

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — It is, in the immediate, not the worst-case scenario

That, however, does not mean it is the best-case scenario. What it is, is worrisome.

Filip Chytil did not practice with the Rangers Saturday morning, and he will not travel with the team to Seattle for Sunday’s match against the Kraken, as he is being evaluated following an on-ice collision with teammate K’Andre Miller in Thursday night’s 3-2 win over the Sharks at the Garden.

Depending on the results of the tests, Chytil could join the team at some point during the Western Canadian portion of the road trip, according to a source.

Chytil collided with Miller with 7:50 remaining in the second period of Thursday night and was somewhat unsteady after skating to the bench. Chytil did have one more shift in that period but did not play at all in the third.

Following the game, Peter Laviolette said Chytil was “day-to-day, getting evaluated.” When he met with reporters Saturday, Laviolette essentially echoed his post-game diagnosis.

“Right now he’s being evaluated,” Laviolette said. “He’s not out on the ice.”

It is not known if Chytil suffered a concussion, but what is known is that Chytil has missed time with what is thought to be four concussions in his NHL career.

As Newsday chronicled Saturday, the first believed concussion occurred in November 2021 due to a collision with former teammate Sammy Blais. Later that season, the Rangers said he had suffered an upper-body injury. In October 2022, Chytil missed six games after being elbowed in the head by Columbus’ Cole Sillinger. Another upper-body injury during training camp last season cost him preseason games, which may have foretold how his 2023-24 season would play out as Chytil was limited to 10 games following a collision with Carolina’s Jesper Fast in November and a setback in January.

The Rangers have never publicly stated what the exact injuries were.

“We’re always careful with our players. Nobody jumps back [into the lineup] without doctors and everybody doing their job,” Laviolette said. “Nobody wants to see anybody go out. We want all of our guys healthy.”

 The Rangers are embarking on their second extended road trip of the season. Without Chytil, it appears as if Jonny Brodzinski will slot in as the third-line center and Jake Leschyshyn, who the Rangers announced was recalled from AHL Hartford before the start of practice, will be the 13th forward.

Brodzinski skated with Will Cuylle and Kaapo Kakko on the third line while Leschyshyn and Chad Ruhwedel comprised a fourth defensive pairing during the half-hour, up-tempo practice.

“Jonny went in on that line and he’d been there before,” Laviolette said of Brodinski, who spent part of the 2023-24 season centering the third line. “He goes in there and gives us good minutes. He’s fast. He’s competitive. I think that spot is a good fit for him. He’s played there before. He’s done that. He’s comfortable here now. If needed he’ll be fine.”

Brodzinski has been a healthy scratch in the last five games, which coincides with the return of Jimmy Vesey from a lower-body injury. Brodzinski has one goal and one assist in seven games this season.

“Jonny’s kind of like a Swiss army knife,” Reilly Smith said. “He’s really good at every aspect. He’s fast. He’s strong on pucks. He works hard. He’s got a good shot. I think he’ll be able to jump in there and help [Cuylle and Kakko] the way Fil has done.”

That may be a challenge since the triumvirate of Cuylle-Chytil-Kakko has been the Rangers’ best line through the first 15 games of the season.

In the 129:37 the trio has been on the ice at even strength, the line has outscored opponents 11-0 and has been credited with 12 more scoring chances for (69-57) and 14 more high-danger chances for (32-18) according to NaturalStatTrick.com.

“For the most part they play direct,” Smith said. “Fil brings the puck up through the middle of the ice really well and he’s able to create a lot of semi-odd man rushes. Kaapo’s got great hands. Great passer. Will goes hard to the net. They kind of have a little bit of everything. All three have been really heavy on pucks and they’re diligent defensively. Put all that together you get the results the line has had.”

Fair points. So, too, is the fact that, albeit in an extremely small sample size, Kakko and Cuylle have struggled without Chytil. The twosome have been outshot 8-3 in 10:10 sans Chytil.

“Fil, he’s been a great contributor to this team so far this season,” Smith said. “It’s tough. Someone’s going to have to come in and fill that void, and probably not by themselves. By committee.”