New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the team has agreed to terms with restricted free agent forward Filip Chytil on a two-year contract.
The New York Rangers had a pretty quiet first day of free agency on Wednesday. On Thursday afternoon the team announced they have agreed to a new two-year contract with restricted free agent center Filip Chytil.
The deal has an AAV of $2.3 million per season.
Chytil in at two years for AAV of $2.3M per…
— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) July 29, 2021
Chytil, 21, skated in 42 games with the Rangers this past season, registering eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points, along with a plus-nine rating and 10 penalty minutes. He established career-highs in several categories in 2020-21, including assists, points per game (0.52), assists per game (0.33), and plus/minus rating (plus-nine). Chytil registered all of his 22 points this past season at even strength/5-on-5. He ranked sixth among NHL centers (min. 20 games played) in points per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 (2.60; only trailing Connor McDavid, Jason Spezza, Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon, and Leon Draisaitl), as well as sixth among NHL centers (min. 20 games played) in assists per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 (1.65; only trailing McDavid, MacKinnon, Spezza, Evgeni Malkin, and Draisaitl) this past season. The Rangers posted a 14-3-3 record in games which Chytil tallied a point in 2020-21.
The 6-2, 206-pounder has skated in 186 career NHL games over parts of four seasons (2017-18 – 2020-21), all with the Rangers, registering 34 goals and 37 assists for 71 points, along with 32 penalty minutes. Among players who were selected in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Chytil ranks third in goals, ranks fourth in games played, and ranks eighth in points. He is the only player who has worn jersey No. 72 in a regular-season or playoff game with the Rangers in franchise history. Over the last two seasons (2019-20 and 2020-21), the Blueshirts have posted a 28-7-5 record in the 40 games in which Chytil has registered a point. He has skated in three career postseason games with the Rangers.
The Kromeriz, Czech Republic native was selected by the Rangers in the first round, 21st overall, of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. (Per NYR PR Department)
Leading to a bigger deal
It is unclear if this signing is a prelude to a bigger trade in the upcoming days or if it is a seal to fortify the club at the center position for the next two seasons.
The rumors of the club trying to make a trade for Buffalos’ Jack Eichel continue to run rampant. Time will tell where things shake out and what the true meaning of this signing is.