Filip Chytil is leading the charge for the New York Rangers on this five-game road trip. The Rangers are heating, or dare I say Chyt-ing up.
The expectations we're very high for Filip Chytil coming into the 2023-24 campaign after a breakout season and with his new 4-year, $17.75 million contract that he signed back in March. Despite not having any goals, Chytil has had a pop in his step through the first six games of the season and the points are finally starting to rack up for him.
In his last two games, Chytil has notched five assists, and honestly, he could have plenty more. Chytil's line that consists of him, Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere has been the brightest spot for the team in the early going of the season.
According to the NHL Edge, this line for the Rangers has been all over the offensive zone at even strength. Panarin, Lafreniere and Chytil are all individually in the top-10 of this category, but they're proving that the best defense, is a good offense.
Panarin extended has tallied a point in all six games thus far and leads the team with 8 points. He has been outstanding and teams are focusing in on him.
Chytil and Panarin have had the shoot-first mentality on this line, while Lafreniere has been somewhat more of the playmaker. Through six games, Lafreniere only has 7 shots on goal, but as long as they're not over handling pucks, this isn't that big of an issue. Last night was the first time where it felt that Lafreniere had an instinct of where his line-mates were going to be. That's the true test of a strong line in the NHL, not forcing plays, but making instinctive plays.
As a group, the Rangers have done an outstanding job at defending in the first two games of this road trip. They limited the Kraken and the Flames to a combined 44 shots against. Sure, they may have defended a bit more than they would have liked last night, but aside from a couple of defensive lapses, the chances they were giving up weren't the highest of quality.
The analytics might not have been pretty last night for the Will Cuylle, Vincent Trocheck and Blake Wheeler line, but I thought that Cuylle and Trocheck were outstanding. Those two had a real pop in their step. It's evident that Wheeler is a bit of a step behind with those two, but as long as that line isn't getting scored on, they're doing their job.
The Rangers first line hasn't had the pop that everyone was hoping for, but there has been more positive than negative. Mika Zibanejad has to score at some point right? The chances are there for the teams first-line center, but the pucks just aren't going in. Fortunately, Chris Kreider continues to be automatic on the power play as three of his five goals have come on the man-advantage.
As far as Kaapo Kakko goes, he looks strong and confident, but he has to be a more of a shooter and get inside the dots. Kakko's game has been mostly around the perimeter, but the one goal he's scored this season was because he outmuscled a Kraken defensemen to bang home a loose puck in the crease. These three have looked strong, but the production at 5-on-5 hasn't been as high as expected thus far.
Last night was a big bounce back game for Igor Shesterkin. He stopped 23 shots and skated to a +1.81 goals saved above expected.
It's been a very promising start to this road trip, but there are still three games to go. The Rangers focus is now on a McDavid-less Edmonton Oilers group that has had it rough in the early going.
You know what they say "two's a fluke, three's a streak". Let's see if this group can get a real winning streak going.