Lafrenière’s progress and Chytil ready to play?

The best news to come out of the New York Rangers practice on Monday came from Coach David Quinn who said that there’s a “good chance” that  Filip Chytil  will be in the lineup against the Buffalo Sabres. Chytil has played only five games this season before suffering an upper body injury.  He had two goals and three points and was establishing himself as an offensive force on the third line.

There had been questions why Tony Bitetto had not played the last two days.  It was revealed that he has a lower body injury and is day-to-day.   Bitetto had been playing well and when he was benched in favor of Jack Johnson there were raised eyebrows.

Finally, there was no update on Artemi Panarin or Kaapo Kakko.  Panarin is listed by the team as day-to-day and Kakko remains on the COVID protocol list for the tenth straight day.  That list is updated every day at 5pm and it’s possible that Kakko could come off the list in time to play the Sabres. That’s if he had an exposure and not a positive test.

If Kakko had tested positive for COVID-19, if he was asymptomatic he had to self-isolate for ten days and refrain from any exercise for 14 days.  If he tested positive and exhibited symptoms, there is a whole different protocol he must follow.  At any rate, it could be another four days for Kakko if he returned a positive test and was asymptomatic.