As the preseason concludes, Filip Chytil reflected with confidence on how he worked to get up to speed for the regular season, as the task of playing second-line centre looms ahead for him in the 2025-26 season.
Second-line centres have a lot on their plate, and Chytil likes the opportunity to play that position on the Vancouver Canucks, but knows that being healthy is a must for him to achieve his goals.
“I had the chance before in my previous team, but I always got hurt, and it sends me back to the third line. And I would be working on my game again, and it was so hard to get to the second line because the centre ahead of me had great chemistry,” said Chytil.
“I just want to stay healthy for this year. I know what I can do, what I am. I want to help the team on the ice, not be off the ice and watching them from the stands.”
The 26-year-old centre has been a full-time NHL player since he was 19 years old and has 393 games under his belt. His best season came during the 2022-23 year, where he had 22 goals and 23 assists for 45 points in 74 games with the New York Rangers.
After a summer of training with his brother, he is eager to return to regular season action and compete against the world’s best players. Chytil wants to utilize his combination of speed and size, play with a clear head, and let his natural hockey sense take over.
“I love to compete. Anything I do, hockey or whatever sport I play, whenever we play cards with my friends or play PlayStation, I just want to win. I like that about our practices when we do battles. I just love to compete and win everything,” said Chytil.
He played in 15 games with the Canucks last season. Now, getting a whole training camp with the Canucks, he is feeling good about how his strengths can fit into the lineup and the game plan that head coach Adam Foote wants to see from his club.
“I think that style of play that we have is going to suit me a lot, because we’re playing with pace. We’re trying to quick up right away when we have a chance in the neutral zone. We focus on the rushes, which is a strong part of my game,” said Chytil.
“I like this so far, but I still need to work on that. I need to talk to my teammates a lot, because we have to get up on our chemistry as well.”
Chytil skates alongside Evander Kane and Conor Garland on Thursday, and the 17-year pro Kane likes what Chytil brings to the new look second line.
“He’s a real dynamic player. He’s got good quickness, both in his feet and his hands, and I think he’s gotten better as camp has gone on and probably feels more comfortable on the ice in terms of making plays with wingers and being a big part of the offence,” said Kane.
“I think just for him, he’s continuing to establish himself in this league as a higher-end player and a guy who can contribute offensively on a consistent basis.”
Chytil has played with consistency throughout the preseason, and with his experience in the NHL, he’s using this time to try some new things and utilize some of the strengths that he built on during the summer.
