Five days after the Rangers lost to the Panthers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final, Filip Chytil was back on the ice.
Five months of last season was dedicated to rest and recuperation for Chytil, whose recovery from his fourth suspected concussion was not linear after he went down in the 10th game of the season.
He had never spent so much time away from hockey in his entire life.
Now, both he and the Rangers are making it a priority to ramp Chytil up this preseason.
“I wish [to play as many preseason games as possible] because I didn’t play since Nov. 3, I played only six games in the playoffs, and [it] was like 10 percent of my ability of what I can do,” Chytil said Saturday after another double session at MSG Training Center. “Because, like I said, I didn’t skate at all before the playoffs. I jumped into it, worked hard and now, when is the preseason?
“I [hope] in the first game I will remind myself [of] game things, what I was missing and just go step by step every game. Take each game and go step by step until the first game of the season.”
The Czech center said it was important for him to play in the playoffs.
It reminded him what the speed of the most important games of the season is like.
So when he joined his skills coach on the ice at the conclusion of the season, Chytil had an idea of the speed he was working toward.
As for how Chytil feels about returning to hard contact amid his history, the 25-year-old said he is not scared.
Getting reacquainted with the physicality of the game in the playoffs let Chytil know he was OK.
“Having him back in at the end of the season, it probably set him up to have a good summer,” head coach Peter Laviolette said. “He made his way back, probably wasn’t where he needed to be, just based on the season that he had. Now, he’s had the whole summer to train. He’s gone in, he’s come back in very good shape. He looks excellent on the ice.
“There are no limitations with him whatsoever. I actually think maybe the opposite. Maybe a little bit more is good right now to try to get back in, find his game and the game shape part of it and the feel that goes with the game.
“He looks good, he’s healthy and we’ll move through training camp, but he’s going to play in some games.”
Defensemen Casey Fitzgerald and Chad Ruhwedel joined the main group on Saturday, replacing Ben Harpur and Connor Mackey.
The Rangers will play their first exhibition game on Sunday at 5 p.m. at Boston.
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