A ‘Never Satisfied’ Mindset and an Affection for Getting to the Net Fuel Filip Chytil’s Game

We are just in the beginning stages of Filip Chytil showing what he can do in a Vancouver Canucks jersey, but there have been flashes of skill that can help get fans excited about what the 25-year-old centre can bring to an NHL team.

Since joining the Canucks, Chytil has led the team in scoring chances, shot attempts, shots on net, and drawn penalties. His aggressive play with the puck has translated well to fit in with a new team, but Chytil believes there is a long way to go before he is entirely comfortable and can thrive to his fullest potential.

“It’s still new for me here, and I have to get used to it a little more. Even my teammates have to get used to me a bit because we have never played with each other. The only guy I knew was Filip Hronek because we played on the national team in the past. Otherwise, everybody here was new to me,” said Chytil.

“I’m getting used to it. I’m getting used to the system, trying to fit my game in, and feeling more comfortable with each day passing. I don’t think my game is where I want it to be, but I’m getting there.”

He knows his game is at its best when he moves his feet and aggressively attacks the net.

“That’s just my game, and I try to do that as much as I can,” said Chytil with a chuckle when asked about driving the net. “I’ve felt some flashes, but it’s still challenging for me because of the new team and how I’m trying to develop chemistry with new players here. I’m starting to feel it a bit more; I’m getting there slowly.”

Chytil has gone from playing 14:20 per game this season in New York to 18:04 per game with the Canucks. The increased ice time has helped him feel more confident about his game, and he knows that he is just scratching the surface with what he has shown in his first 10 games as a Canuck.

With nearly 400 NHL games under his belt, Chytil knows the level his game can reach, and he can feel it when he’s playing to his potential. It has not happened in an instant with the Canucks, but he understands that a new environment provides a new challenge for him in his career.

“I’ve been playing in this league for a while now, and I realize what I must work on and what I have to find on the ice. Nothing comes to you in this game from a click of the fingers. You have to go through some things, especially on a new team. You have to learn to read players and talk to them. Nothing comes right away,” said Chytil.

“I played seven and a half years with the same organization, and we played the same way for almost all those years. It’s different here, but there is good communication from the coaching staff and other players. It’s only been a month, and I think I’ve made huge steps to getting back to playing my game.”

We wanted to know what Chytil believes he is doing when he is on his game, and he spoke about two things: being around the net and driving the net.

“I want to score more goals. I know I can score more goals because I am getting a lot of chances, not just in these 10 games, but even before, I got a lot of chances off the rush from a good pass from the defence. I’m focusing a lot on getting to the net, staying around the net, and finding the puck,” said Chytil.

“For example, the goal I scored in Seattle. Just find that place [around the net], find that second shot because the best place for scoring goals [is] in that area. Of course, goals come from shots, breakaways, two-on-ones, and rushes. But most goals are scored around the net. These goals are very important, even for confidence. So that’s the thing I’m working on right now,” he said.

Chytil likes to use his skill, speed, and size as a triple threat. Combining those three traits in his game allows him to beat his opposition and get to the net with the puck.

“I love to go one-on-one. That’s my game,” he said. “Since I started playing the game, that was good. I always love to go one-on-one up the ice or even from the corners and go to the net. I don’t want to be the guy who is standing on the wall and just creating the play.”

Though he doesn’t call himself a playmaker, Chytil understands that he opens a lot of ice for his teammates when playing with pace and using his legs. His game is not about slowing the pace down but instead speeding the game up and putting pressure on the opposition.

When we were sitting together in his stall, Chytil cracked a smile as directly across the locker room was the Canucks’ sign that reads ‘Meet Pressure with Pressure.’

“Yeah, I’m putting that pressure on myself because I know what I can achieve and what type of player I can be. That’s why I’m so demanding of myself every day in practice and the gym,” said Chytil.

“I’m never satisfied, even when things are going the right way. That’s just my mindset, and that’s how I see my life.”