Filip Chytil was a healthy scratch in Game 4, but it was just a precautionary measure to properly deal with his past concussion issues.
After playing a substantial role for the New York Rangers on the first line, Filip Chytil was a healthy scratch in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final.
With the Rangers up 2-1 in the series prior to their Game 4 loss, it was surprising to see Chytil out of the lineup.
However, Peter Laviolette had perfectly good reasoning for his absence.
“This is just part of Fil’s coming back after such a long layoff and what we feel is best for him to continue to move forward with us,” Laviolette said. “You're asking a lot for a guy that missed six months to come back in and get up to that speed. This is part of the plan for him.”
Chytil suffered a concussion in November, which ultimately kept him out for the remainder of the regular season and carried into the playoffs.
In his short NHL career thus far, Chytil has already suffered four concussions with his symptoms reportedly getting worse each time.
While Chytil gives a boost to New York’s lineup, it’s better to serve on the side of caution when it comes to a player who’s dealt with multiple concussions, so the team is doing the right thing in this case.