Brooks Rangers Still Trying to Find Out What They Have in Filip Chytil

[Phil]

Quote

In his fifth pro season and his fourth full year in the NHL, it is not clear exactly how to define the 22-year-old Czech. He has not made a breakthrough as a talent or power center capable of top-six minutes. He is not a puck distributor. He might be better off on the wing playing with either Mika Zibanejad or Ryan Strome, but Gerard Gallant sure doesn’t seem to think so, the head coach giving No. 72 only four games at the wing in a top-six role and seven on the flank in total.

 

The Rangers surely want to give Chytil every opportunity to succeed. The $2.3 million cap hit he’s carrying under a contract that goes through next season not only fits perfectly, but would be a notable bargain if he could break out. The last thing the organization needs is to lose patience with the 21st-overall selection of the 2017 draft, send him elsewhere in a trade and have him blossom somewhere else.

 

After these four seasons of stops and starts on Broadway, Chytil’s totals amount to a fairly modest 39-44-83 in 225 games. At the same time, though, he has played the third-most games of the Class of ’17, trailing only first-overall Nico Hischier and third-overall Miro Heiskanen and scored the fourth-most goals, eclipsed by fifth-overall Elias Pettersson, Hischier and 12th-overall Martin Necas. He stands 10th in points and 11th in assists among his classmates.

 

The numbers are surely in line with his peer group, but Chytil has seemed stuck in neutral most of this season in which he has recorded five goals with seven assists while getting 12:41 of ice per game, 33 seconds less than a year ago, 2:09 under his complement two years ago, and the lowest of his brief career. He has one point — an assist — on the power play while getting 1:09 of ice per with the man advantage.

 

But then, Chytil has centered nine different sets of third-line wingers. The combination with Alexis Lafreniere and Gauthier is the only one to have gained any traction, intact for 16 games starting in mid-November, but even that trio produced a sum of only four goals. Now, it’s Hunt and Gauthier, players who have combined for 14 career goals in 214 NHL games.

 

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[Blue Heaven]

[RJWantsTheCup]

I know what they have in Chytil, almost nothing.

[Valriera]

No they're not, they have a bad hockey player, whose ceiling is a somehow less defensively capable artem anisimov. This is not a case of waiting for a player to break out - he's not going to. Package him for what we actually need as soon as we can

[Ozzy]

Ironic that Uncle Larry dangles this in front of us at this point....

 

I really can't figure out Chytil at all.  Here's a guy who's 6' 3", 205 lbs, and to me he seems to play way too soft.  He gets bumped off the puck seemingly like a feather, and he loses way too many 50/50 puck battles on the boards for my liking.

 

I know the kid has talent, but it's been 5 seasons now...Am I wrong to just fold the cards on this kid, and say he's just never going to be that guy?  I sure as hell have no idea what this kid is ever going to be, but I just don't feel any battle level in this kid.

 

I think that's what irks me most about him.  I see "battle level" in Yukon, and also Kakko.  Hell, I felt battle level in Schneider since day 1!  I don't get that same vibe from Chytil.  The worst part is that Chytil's trade value probably sucks right now, and not only do we run the risk of "We trade him and he becomes a 40 goal/PPG scorer", but we get absolute dog shit for him in return.

 

I see Drury going down the road of "Damned if you do, and Damned if you don't" with Chytil.  I figure we can at the very least, see him for one more year with his contract still in place, but I don't expect him to be on the upcoming playoff roster at this point, especially when we make a deal for some upgrades.   He'd most likely be a part of a deal, but if he isn't, I wouldn't feel comfortable with him in a 7 game playoff series.

 

It's gonna be really tricky, and I can't fault Drury if he ultimately decides to give this kid up.  Our window is now open for business, so anything kinda goes from here, I think.

[RJWantsTheCup]

Trade him to Montreal for whatever Gorton is willing to give.

[Ozzy]

1 minute ago, RJWantsTheCup said:

Trade him to Montreal for whatever Gorton is willing to give.

 

Best thing we could get from Montreal is a draft pick, I think RJ.  I don't see anything on that roster I like.

[Blue Heaven]

3 minutes ago, RJWantsTheCup said:

Trade him to Montreal for whatever Gorton is willing to give.

package him with Hajek since it seems like Gorton is hot for him.  

 

Chytil needs Jagr to teach him how to use his frame

[jsm7302]

This dude isn't putting it together. He also seems characterless. Id send him packing because there are guys down the depth chart who would at least try a little harder. Geez. 5 seasons in? Send him packing. 

[Phil]

48 minutes ago, Valriera said:

No they're not, they have a bad hockey player, whose ceiling is a somehow less defensively capable artem anisimov. This is not a case of waiting for a player to break out - he's not going to. Package him for what we actually need as soon as we can

 

See, I would argue against against Brooks' point, too, but much more directly. I don't know if he will or won't break out and I don't care. I think he's exactly who they should pull the chute on in order to define the third line, and if he explodes elsewhere, good for him. It's not happening here. Time isn't a universal commodity of equal value to every team. If Chytil goes somewhere where the pressure to win is significantly reduced and he eventually finds a role, good for him, but that's not a luxury the Rangers can afford. If they're not in their Cup window as we speak, they're right on the cusp of it.

[Shane Falco]

Chytil in a nutshell

 

 

 

 

[jsm7302]

He just does nothing well and shows flashes of hands but they are so few and far between. He will be a one stop somewhere else and then his career will be done. He doesn't have the game to exist in this league. 

[Dunny]

This is about three years overdue. In the time they've put in to this guy since his draft, I birthed a son, he learned how to eat, walk, shit, piss, read, hit a baseball and now skate.  

 

I just can't fathom what they're waiting for, here.

[Phil]

11 minutes ago, Dunny said:

This is about three years overdue. In the time they've put in to this guy since his draft, I birthed a son, he learned how to eat, walk, shit, piss, read, hit a baseball and now skate.  

 

I just can't fathom what they're waiting for, here.

 

Right. He's 22. i get it. But he'll have played nearly 250 games by the end of this season. Over four years. I think it's safe to say they know who he is. Hope isn't a strategy.

[Pete]

17 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

See, I would argue against against Brooks' point, too, but much more directly. I don't know if he will or won't break out and I don't care. I think he's exactly who they should pull the chute on in order to define the third line, and if he explodes elsewhere, good for him. It's not happening here. Time isn't a universal commodity of equal value to every team. If Chytil goes somewhere where the pressure to win is significantly reduced and he eventually finds a role, good for him, but that's not a luxury the Rangers can afford. If they're not in their Cup window as we speak, they're right on the cusp of it.

It's exactly this. What the Rangers have in Chytil is a trade chip. He's a player with no role. Having him on the third line makes it too much like the top two by default. He hasn't shown a glimpse of being able to take the 2C job from Strome (who also hasn't been great, this would have been the time to make a push).

 

He should be moved to address a need.

[josh]

Chytil is comfortable as fuck in his spot and it shows. It shows through his play.

[RJWantsTheCup]

1 hour ago, Ozzy said:

 

Best thing we could get from Montreal is a draft pick, I think RJ.  I don't see anything on that roster I like.

Then use the draft pick to get something better.  It’s just about at the point where it would be addition by subtraction. 

[Ozzy]

Just now, RJWantsTheCup said:

Then use the draft pick to get something better.  It’s just about at the point where it would be addition by subtraction. 

 

Pretty much, RJ!

[josh]

4 minutes ago, RJWantsTheCup said:

Then use the draft pick to get something better.  It’s just about at the point where it would be addition by subtraction. 

With one year left on his deal, and being an RFA, he's a perfect player you send in a package deal to a team outside the playoff picture. You have an NHL middle 6 center with upside, on a cheap deal. Chytil + 2nd for Copp. Chytil, Lundkvist, 1st for Miller. Chytil straight up for Toews retained.

Having Chytil in a part of a package will hold more value than some picks from Montreal. I don't think you'll get a 2nd at the deadline, maybe at the draft.

 

If not in a package, I'd rather move him for another change of scenery guy. Like Comtois, or Vesaleinen, and shit I forgot Ottawa traded Logan Brown.

 

Chytil isnt doing much for this team. And honestly, for the next 2 seasons, I'm sure Rooney wouldnt do worse in that spot.

[BrooksBurner]

20 minutes ago, Pete said:

It's exactly this. What the Rangers have in Chytil is a trade chip. He's a player with no role. Having him on the third line makes it too much like the top two by default. He hasn't shown a glimpse of being able to take the 2C job from Strome (who also hasn't been great, this would have been the time to make a push).

 

He should be moved to address a need.

Pretty much agree. This was a make or break season of sorts for Chytil with the team. That was driven primarily by the fact that the team needs to make a decision about 2C and potentially resigning Strome - which would box Chytil out of the top 6 permanently. The team’s success this year has also sped up the urgency to have a more competitive bottom 6/3rd line. Unfortunately, he hasn’t shown nearly enough to even talk about supplanting Strome, and he hasn’t been engaged or competitive enough to be reliable for the 3rd line.

 

I still think he’ll be good elsewhere later on, but the Rangers aren’t winning anything with him at 3C rest of season. If the Rangers start making moves to contend this season, I don’t see how Chytil survives the makeover.

[Ozzy]

Ok Uncle Larry...You pretty much have your article written ....and we've given you some solid material here.

 

Just give us a wink in at the end of the piece, that's all I ask! 

 

Your buddy, Ozzy 

[ThirtyONE]

I'm not interested in the trade him for nothing angle. We've seen players wake up and suddenly get it at 25, 26, and 27. I'm not sure I feel like waiting for him to figure it out, but I'm sure he has value somewhere. Trading him for a pick makes no sense considering our lack of depth. He's not addition by subtraction because there's literally no one available to replace him, unless you'd like to see more McKegg 

[josh]

4 minutes ago, ThirtyONE said:

I'm not interested in the trade him for nothing angle. We've seen players wake up and suddenly get it at 25, 26, and 27. I'm not sure I feel like waiting for him to figure it out, but I'm sure he has value somewhere. Trading him for a pick makes no sense considering our lack of depth. He's not addition by subtraction because there's literally no one available to replace him, unless you'd like to see more McKegg 

Like who?

I can't think of any non-short guys, or unskilled players, that turned it on late. Zucc, St. Louis, Tim thomas and his stupid fucking helmet.

Edited February 18, 2022 by josh

[ThirtyONE]

24 minutes ago, josh said:

Like who?

I can't think of any non-short guys, or unskilled players, that turned it on late. Zucc, St. Louis, Tim thomas and his stupid fucking helmet.

I mean look at our team Panarin didn't even enter then NHL until he was 24. Mika wasn't a stud until he was 26. You named three guys yourself. It takes a while. I'm not saying Chytil will be any of those players, but the addition by subtraction crowd were probably the same crowd that complained when Pionk and Graves turned out to be decent at hockey.

 

If you think the team is thin now, take away Chytil and you literally have no way to replace his spot in the lineup. We saw what this team looked like with it's AHL players -- they stunk.

Edited February 18, 2022 by ThirtyONE

[Phil]

26 minutes ago, ThirtyONE said:

I'm not interested in the trade him for nothing angle. We've seen players wake up and suddenly get it at 25, 26, and 27. I'm not sure I feel like waiting for him to figure it out, but I'm sure he has value somewhere. Trading him for a pick makes no sense considering our lack of depth. He's not addition by subtraction because there's literally no one available to replace him, unless you'd like to see more McKegg 

 

Who is suggesting this? I'm pretty sure everyone agrees here:

 

1. He's not a threat for 2C or a believable option for 2RW, so —

2. That makes him a third-line player on a third line that, like him, is undefinable. They're simply a collection of leftovers. So —

3. Why keep him? Because you're afraid he'll figure it out as many as five years from now? That's awful asset management. So —

4. What is his value to this team, today, if not as a trade chip to get a player who can define your third line?