Filip Chytil’s injury absence changes Rangers look on PP2
The New York Rangers are getting set to take on the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday night, beginning the first of a four-game road trip. They’ll do so without center Filip Chytil, who was injured in a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.
Chytil remained in New York being evaluated for an upper-body injury. His absence from the lineup Sunday has several implications for the Rangers. For starters, it means that Jonny Brodzinski will fill his spot on the third line, centering Will Cuylle and Kaapo Kakko. It also means that someone will have to fill Chytil’s spot on the second power-play unit, a difficult decision for coach Peter Laviolette.
With Chytil out of the lineup, the second power-play unit consisted of Cuylle, Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, Reilly Smith, and Zac Jones at the morning skate on Sunday. Additionally, Jacob Trouba rotated in for Cuylle, who was the new player in the group, creating a unit that featured two defenseman (with Jones).
This gives Cuylle some deserved extra offensive looks. The 22-year-old is fourth on the Rangers with five goals and fifth with 11 points.
“He’s had a really strong start to his year,” Laviolette said Sunday. “I do see him as somebody who is probably eventually going to be a regular on a power-play unit, but we’ve got guys who have been there and those decisions are tough to make. He should get some time tonight out there.”
Without Chytil, though, this unit does not have a natural center. Kakko likely will take face-offs for this unit. He is 4-for-8 on face-offs (50 percent) this season.
Related: Rangers vs. Kraken: 3 things to watch for to begin 4-game road trip
Jonny Brodzinski ready for ‘seamless transition’ back into lineup
It’s been five games and two weeks since Brodzinski skated in a game for the Rangers. He’s been a healthy scratch since Jimmy Vesey returned from a lower-body injury, and Laviolette has stayed with Vesey, Sam Carrick and Adam Edstrom on the fourth line.
But with Chytil out, Brodzinski is in on the third line. It’s a role he filled last season when Chytil missed most of the season with an upper-body injury.
“I feel like as I’ve progressed in my career, the more I’ve been out, the more ready I’ve been to come back into the lineup,” Brodzinski explained. “Days off, stuff like that, I’m doing extra on the ice to stay ready so that when I do come back into the lineup, it’s seamless. I’ve been ready this whole time. Transition should be very seamless.”
Brodzinski should fit in nicely on the third line with Cuylle and Kakko. There’s history there, plus he’s a fast player who can commit to defense as well as chip in and grind offensively. His main goal is to continue the success that the third line has had to this point.
The trio of Chytil-Cuylle-Kakko have been exceptional to this point, and have outscored opponents 11-0 at 5v5 this season. Brodzinski will look to bring more of the same while Chytil recovers from injury.
More About:New York Rangers News