Vancouver Canucks centre Filip Chytil injured on controversial hit by Tom Wilson
The Vancouver Canucks are rolling over the Washington Capitals, but they have already lost two players in the process.
Despite jumping out to a demanding 4-0 lead over the Capitals, Canucks fans will be concerned as both Filip Chytil and Jonathan Lekkerimäki were knocked out of the game with apparent injuries.
Chytil’s injury was the more concerning of the two as he was the recipient of a crushing hit from Capitals brute Tom Wilson on a high hit in open ice. The 26-year-old was carrying the puck through the neutral zone, passed it off, and then got hit by Wilson.
Chytil had to be helped off the ice, while Wilson did not receive a penalty on the play.
After review, Tom Wilson receives no penalty for this hit on Filip Chytil. #ALLCAPS #Canucks
pic.twitter.com/h683JFNXoH— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) October 19, 2025
One could argue that the hit itself was clean, as it didn’t appear that the head was the primary point of contact. The issue is that it came so late after Chytil had already gotten rid of the puck.
Wilson made a few solid strides after the puck left Chytil’s stick to make the hit on an unsuspecting player. At the very least, it looks like there was a solid case for an interference call.
Anybody who has watched Wilson play hockey knows this is exactly the type of play that he is known for. Though he didn’t get penalized in the game for this hit, it will be interesting to see if he gets a call from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.
Chytil has a history of concussion issues over the course of his career, and the fear is that this may add another to his resume. It’s especially disheartening as the Czech was enjoying a fantastic start to the season with three goals through five games. An update on his condition should be provided after the match.
Lekkerimäki’s injury was less obvious, but he apparently took a hard hit that seemed to cause him some discomfort at some point during the game. These two injuries come as the team is already without Brock Boeser, who missed Sunday’s game due to personal reasons.
For now, all Canucks fans can do is hope that Chytil, Lekkerimäki, and Boeser can make a speedy return to the lineup.