Filip Chytil has struggled mightily to stay healthy throughout his career — but the Vancouver Canucks forward provided an overwhelmingly positive update at the NHL player media tour in Europe earlier this week.
“I feel great, and hopefully it’s gonna be like this for a lot of years,” Chytil told reporters, including The Athletic's Michael Russo. “I feel ready for camp. Professionally, yeah, I couldn’t play. I was off the ice, and I couldn’t do what I love, and personally, it was harder for probably people around me — for my wife and for the family — because I know how I feel, but they don’t know that, and they don’t see me on the ice.”
The 25-year-old added: “The good days were switching to bad days. But my family was always there for me, supporting me, and they were hoping that I’ll be back as soon as possible. And now I feel great.”
It's good to hear that the Czech Republic native is back to full health, considering what he's dealt with throughout his career. Chytil has a long history of concussions, and he suffered another one in March after being hit from behind by Chicago Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson. He didn't play another game in 2024-25 as the Canucks missed the postseason.
Chytil was cleared to train before the summer, and confirmed to Russo that he will enter training camp at 100 percent. That's critical for a Canucks team that badly needs an effective 2C.
Canucks will rely on Filip Chytil in 2025-26
Originally drafted 21st overall by the New York Rangers in 2017, Chytil spent nearly seven full campaigns in the Big Apple before being traded to British Columbia in the deal that sent JT Miller to Broadway.
Chytil managed 20 points in 41 games with the Rangers before the trade, and chipped in another six over 15 contests before his injury. It's been a tough go for the center, who played just 10 total regular season games in 2023-24 and missed 26 tilts in 2024-25.
Heading into a new season, Vancouver is hoping that Chytil will be able to return to the level that saw him amass a career-high 22 goals and 45 points over 74 games with New York in 2022-23.
He's shown flashes of first-round talent, but hasn't been able to stay healthy long enough to emerge into a true game-breaking player. Obviously, the Canucks are hoping that will change in 2025-26 and beyond.
Chytil is under contract for two more seasons before he'll become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027. He could play a major role for the Canucks this year, as Miller is gone and Pius Suter also left the team to join the St. Louis Blues back in July.
Currently, Daily Faceoff has him pencilled into the 2C role, with Evander Kane and Conor Garland as his potential linemates. Playing with two skilled players in the top-six should give him the opportunity to improve on his career-best 45 points, and he's also a candidate to begin the season on the top powerplay unit alongside Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, Jake DeBrusk and Quinn Hughes.
After a postseason-less campaign, the Canucks are hoping to return to the form that saw them win the Pacific Division in 2023-24. Chytil is going to be critical to that goal this year.
