Filip Chytil injury update: Insider shares optimism around Rangers star's comeback ahead of playoffs

There has been a new development regarding Filip Chytil, the center of the New York Rangers, who suffered a season-ending injury. However, there is a ray of hope amid this somber news. NHL Insider Vince Z. Mercogliano shared an interesting observation from the Rangers' locker room on social media.

Mercogliano's post on X (formerly Twitter) highlighted a significant change in Filip Chytil's locker setup. He noted,

"Interesting observation from the #NYR locker room: Filip Chytil has a new locker with all of his practice gear hanging in it. Haven't seen his stuff in a while, so could be a sign that he's in town and doing some on-ice work."

This observation has stirred speculation that Chytil might be making progress in his recovery journey.

Despite being sidelined for the remainder of the season due to an upper-body injury, possibly linked to a concussion, Chytil's presence in the locker room and his practice gear being set up suggest a potential return to on-ice activities.

The news of Filip Chytil's setback during practice, following his return from the Czech Republic, where he was recuperating, cast a shadow over his prospects for the current season. However, Mercogliano's observation hinted at a possible comeback for the talented young player.

The Rangers have been totally backing Chytil's recovery, saying they're all in for making sure he's good to go for the next season in 2024–25. If Chytil is indeed back on the ice for practice, it could mean he's taking a big leap forward in his rehab journey.

Even though we don't have the full scoop on how Filip Chytil's doing and when he might be back, Mercogliano's gave a glimmer of hope amid all the uncertainty.

The New York Rangers received a positive update regarding the health of Filip Chytil, as reported by Darren Dreger of TSN. Chytil, who has been sidelined since November 2nd due to a head injury, has been cleared to return to the ice. However, his status for the upcoming playoffs remains uncertain. According to a post by B/R Open Ice on X, Chytil has resumed skating with the team after being fully medically cleared. Despite this promising development, there is still no clear timeline for his full recovery. With only two regular-season games remaining, it seems unlikely that Chytil will feature in those matchups.

Rangers lost 4-2 to Islanders in absence of Filip Chytil

The New York Islanders grabbed a 4-2 win against the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers, fueled by a three-goal burst in the first period.

“It’s great, this is the type of hockey you want to be playing at this time of the year," Bo Horvat said.

Noah Dobson's two assists contributed to the Islanders' offensive skills.

The Islanders' dominance was evident in the first period, as Mike Reilly, Kyle Palmieri and Anders Lee found the back of the net within 9:26.

However, the Rangers fought back with power-play goals from Chris Kreider and Long Island native Adam Fox in the second period. Despite their efforts, the Islanders maintained their lead.

Controversy arose when Mika Zibanejad left the game following a collision with Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech. While Rangers coach Peter Laviolette criticized the hit, Islanders bench boss Patrick Roy deemed it accidental.

“I don’t know why we’re talking about this, quite honestly," Roy said.

Artemi Panarin's 70th assist made him the second player in Rangers history with multiple 70-assist seasons, and Dobson became the second defenseman in Islanders history to record 60 assists in a season.

Ultimately, Lee sealed the Islanders' victory with an empty-net goal in the final seconds, extending their winning streak to five games and bringing them closer to a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.