Everyone involved is happy to be here — or should be. It’s the Eastern Conference final, after all. What’s not to like? But for one Ranger, the series against the Panthers means something extra.
“Grateful” and “proud” were among the words Filip Chytil used in describing his expected return to the lineup for Game 1 on Wednesday night. In hockey terms, having the multi-talented Chytil back on the third line was a clear bonus. But in human terms, it was uplifting and yet a little worrying, too.
Chytil last had played at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 2, when he suffered a presumed concussion in a collision with the Hurricanes’ Jesper Fast. He tried to come back in January, had a setback and then was said to be shut down for the rest of the season, at which point he returned home to Czechia.
But Chytil rejoined the team on April 12, then started Game 3 of the second round against the Hurricanes. He looked and felt good that night and clearly was thrilled. Then he missed the final three games of that series with what the team initially said was illness and later soreness.
Those outside the organization wondered what was up. But come this week, he was back at it again, working in practice on a line with Alex Wennberg and Kaapo Kakko. When asked after practice Tuesday whether the ordeal had made him appreciate his opportunities to play even more, Chytil said, “It’s funny, actually, because I was thinking about this before I joined the team in the beginning of Apri.
