The New York Rangers are one win away from taking a stranglehold on their Eastern Conference first-round series with the Washington Capitals — and reinforcements could be on the way. Filip Chytil, who continues to ramp up his rehab in hopes of returning to the Blueshirts lineup at some point in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, is close to making his 2024 postseason debut, USA Today's Vince Mercogliano confirmed on Wednesday.
“Belief around the league is that he'll be an option for the Rangers during these playoffs, according to multiple sources, with one person close to the situation telling lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network, that Chytil is ‘doing well and close' to returning to game action,” the insider reported.
With a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven Round 1 series, the President's Trophy winners are looking to be in great shape ahead of Friday night's tilt at Capital One Arena in Washington.
The Blueshirts have looked like far and away the better team, which makes a lot of sense considering they were the kings of the regular-season, while the Caps needed until game No. 82 to advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Washington was a minus-37 entering the postseason, and if they can't find a way to get a win in Game 3 at home, this one's as good as over.
And the return of Chytil — which would be unlikely unless the series goes six or seven games — will still be a huge boost to a Rangers team with Stanley Cup aspirations in 2024.
Rangers looking potent in Round 1, and Filip Chytil will only improve that
“But whenever adversity does hit in these NHL playoffs − which, inevitably, it will − they have a potential momentum-changer in their back pocket,” continued Mercogliano.
“Chytil has been practicing with the team for nearly two weeks now, with his speed and intensity ramping up each day. He was expected to miss the rest of the season following a scary timeline of injuries − first a suspected concussion on Nov. 2, one of at least four he's believed to have sustained in his career, followed by a setback on Jan. 26 − but the 24-year-old center has progressed ahead of schedule and been medically cleared to practice in full.”
Although it looks like No. 72's return isn't imminent — not yet — it's becoming more and more clear that he will return to the lineup at some point during the postseason.
“Any time a player is out there and being pushed in practice and drills… they're probably getting better conditioned, better feel for the puck, better feel for game-like situations,” New York bench boss Peter Laviolette said earlier this week, per Mercogliano. “For me, it is noticeable that he looks good out there. He looks comfortable.”
If and when Chytil returns, he will add another element to an offense that has already been boosted by Alex Wennberg and Jack Roslovic at the 2024 trade deadline.
Add the young Czech native back into the equation, and the league's best regular-season team will be as tough an out as any NHL squad as they continue to chase a first Stanley Cup title in 30 years.
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