Vancouver Canucks reveal when Filip Chytil is expected to return to the lineup
More than half of the season has gone by since Filip Chytil last played an NHL game.
According to Vancouver Canucks head coach Adam Foote, that’s about to change.
The Canucks bench boss confirmed after practice on Thursday that centre Filip Chytil is expected to return to the lineup on Friday night, barring any setbacks.
“Yeah, I mean, as long as today went well, he’s gonna play,” Foote confirmed.
Chytil was on the ice at Canucks practice on Thursday, even though some veterans, like Kevin Lankinen and Filip Hronek, were given the day off.
“Unless they come to me and say something has changed…I don’t see that happening,” he said. “So, it looks promising.”
Chytil got off to a strong start with two goals on opening night. Through the six games he played, the 26-year-old led the Canucks at five-on-five in terms of shot attempts, shots, and high-danger chances.
“He was really coming on and, you know, a guy with that speed too, he plays at a fast pace, and that’s what we’re looking for as well to help us up the middle.”
It looked like he might live up to the promise of being a bona fide second-line centre for the Canucks, before a thundering, open ice hit from Tom Wilson resulted in yet another concussion.
Chytil has been inching closer to a return since Christmastime, when he returned to the ice on a non-contact jersey.
He shed that non-contact jersey at the tail end of the Canucks winless road trip last week.
“I mean, you can just tell when [Chytil and Teddy Blueger] got to practice with us and took off the red jerseys, there was a different feel in practice,” Foote said.
Foote has waited 44 games to get Chytil back into the lineup, but he wouldn’t allude to where he might play, aside from the fact that he’s just excited to get more centres back in the lineup.
Through the Czech centre’s first four games, he split his time fairly evenly with all of the Canucks highest-paid wingers in Brock Boeser, Jake DeBrusk, Evander Kane and Conor Garland.
The Canucks take on the New Jersey Devils, presumably for Chytil’s return, on Friday night at Rogers Arena.