It’s been an up-and-down season for Filip Chytil.
He’s played some of the best hockey of his career this season. However, Chytil can’t seem to escape the injury demons.
Chytil has missed nine games this season with two separate upper-body injuries. He recently was sidelined for three games before returning on Tuesday night against the Colorado Avalanche.
The 25-year-old forward admitted he was not feeling like himself in his return, but was happy just to be back on the ice with his teammates.
It’s been hard for Chytil to deal with all of these injuries from a mental standpoint, especially considering the fact that he was playing some impressive hockey and continues to be forced to overcome these obstacles.
“It’s not just this year, it’s very season,” Chytil said about his recurring injury problems. “Like I’ve said many times, it’s frustrating because every time I start to feel great or every time I’m ready after the offseason, it’s always a great start, and then something happens that slows me down. It’s happened many times.
“It’s frustrating because I don’t show for a full season yet what I’m capable of and every time I have these stretches where I play great and then I get hurt, I have to go from zero again. Mentally now I’ve been through that many times, so I know it’s not going to be easy. I need to work through that and find that game as soon as possible because I know what I can do and I know how much I can help this team.”
Chytil’s speed on top of his offensive explosiveness makes him a dominant player when he is healthy.
There have been spurts this season when Chytil has been the Rangers’ most impactful forward and that’s no coincidence.
For Chytil, staying strong mentally is just as important as staying strong physically.
“Mentally I can handle it better,” Chytil said. “It’s always harder to come back when you were producing and scoring goals. You know mentally it’s going to be hard, but you gotta find that flow that you have all the time. It’s very challenging for myself.”
Through 34 games, the young center has recorded 10 goals, seven assists and 17 points while averaging 14:00 minutes.
Now, Chytil is hungry to find his groove and get back to playing the way he knows he can.
“On one hand, it’s frustrating. On one hand, it’s very challenging,” Chytil told The Hockey News. “When I’m feeling good, I know how much I can help this team and I showed it this season many times.
“It’s about staying strong in the head and finding that game as soon as possible and this is the only option. No one could do that for me. I have to go through that and work hard.”
