New York Rangers Report Card: Filip Chytil
The New York Rangers rebuild hinges on the development of their young talent. The current teenager that looks to have the most potential is clearly Filip Chytil. His on ice progress this season merits a B on his report card.
Filip Chytil – Grade B
As we continue our series of report cards on the 2018-19 New York Rangers, it is time to turn our attention to Filip Chytil, one of the promising young faces on the team.
His season
The most important thing to remember about Filip Chytil is that he is a 19-year-old kid. He is a young man who left his home in the Czech Republic to come play on one of the biggest stages in all of sports. From that perspective, grading him on any level seems just a bit unfair. By any standard we should just say the kid handled himself pretty impressively and move on.
But in the context of this exercise, the New York Rangers 21st overall pick in the 2017 draft deserves a solid B for the 2018-19 season.
There were flashes of brilliance that surely provided a glimpse of what his talent level truly is. In November he scored goals in five straight games. Look back to January and the goals scored in back-to-back games where he carried the puck up the wing, forcefully drove to the net, and finished with a deft chip shot to the high short side. Those are talents that have every Rangers fan gushing over what he can become.
He also disappeared for long stretches during the season, but can you really hold that against him? Twenty year old Patrik Laine was nowhere to be found in Winnipeg for a long stretch this year, and this was his third season in the NHL.
Looking at Chytil’s season stats, 11 goals is not disappointing, 12 assists probably is, but the stat that really jumps out is the -22 in the Plus/Minus category. Worst on the team, it is a clear indication that this was a season of learning.
His defensive play is most likely the reason for his handful of healthy scratches. Coach David Quinn putting Chytil in a seat high above the action so he can get a good look at how to play effective defense is coaching at its best. To his credit, Chytil seemed to take the scratches as part of his learning process and not as a slap in the face.
Toward the end of the season Chytil played more games at his natural center position, and he seemed more noticeable on the ice. But unless he cleans up his defensive work, he will be back on the wing to start next season until Coach Quinn sees the defensive improvement he needs for Chytil to be effective in the middle.
Why the grade
Again, we are talking about a kid. Talent develops at very different speeds across the NHL. It takes the right fit, with the right team, and the right coach to ensure progress. Is there any doubt that progress was made?
Did Chytil play up to what can be expected from the 21st overall pick? At this point you have to consider him a steal. Compare his season to that of Casey Mittelstadt, taken eighth overall by the Sabres who had 12 goals and 13 assists in 77 games and is one year older. Also, Chytil is one of only a handful of players from the 2017 draft class who have played significant games in the NHL.
Filip Chytil turns 20 just prior to the start of next season. Anyone not excited?
The numbers
Games: 75
Goals: 11
Assists: 12
Points: 23
PPG: 0.31
CF%: 46.7
+/-: -22
PIM: 8
ATOI: 13:47
Faceoffs: 38.9%
Next report card: Fredrik Claesson.