It hardly would be a shock if Filip Chytil has played his final game as a Ranger for a while.
After getting into the first two games of the season, the 18-year-old forward prospect was a healthy scratch for the Rangers’ 2-0 win over the Canadiens on Sunday night at the Garden. Chytil had played sparingly in his first two games, both losses, and coach Alain Vigneault knows there is a big question to be answered about where his development as a player would be best served — in the NHL, playing a marginal role, or back in his native Czech Republic, playing a big role.
“That’s an important question for us to answer as an organization,” Vigneault said Sunday night. “As we said, it’s day by day with him. We know we have a real young, talented prospect there. We need to do the right thing with him.”
Chytil was taken with the 21st overall pick in this year’s draft, and came out of training camp as the center between Rick Nash and Mats Zuccarello. But he played just 7 minutes 40 seconds in the season opener and just 4:59 on Saturday in Toronto, when Vigneault gave him two shifts in the second period and none in the third.
“I just felt that Filip was having a tough time finding his way on the ice,” Vigneault said. “Just needed to shorten up our bench as far as forwards.”
It was enough for Vigneault to bench him Sunday, while deciding to play seven defensemen and 11 forwards. Now Vigneault and general manager Jeff Gorton have a decision about Chytil’s future. He is allowed to play nine games in the NHL before the first year of his entry-level contract kicks in.
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“Obviously going to have some talks with Jeff [on Monday],” Vigneault said, “and then we’ll see what happens.”
Vigneault made veteran defenseman Brendan Smith a healthy scratch after he had struggled in Saturday’s 8-5 loss to the Maple Leafs.
“I’m not singling Smitty out, but I felt he can be better, and I think he knows that,” Vigneault said.
With Chytil out, Vigneault inserted Nick Holden and Steven Kampfer for their season debuts, pairing them on the third defensive unit.
Vigneault also kept 21-year-old blueliner Anthony DeAngelo in, but he played 1:37 of his 3:45 of total ice time on the power play.
“I wanted to keep Anthony for the power play,” Vigneault said. “That second unit was getting some rhythm. Even though he didn’t play a lot, felt seven ‘D’ and 11 forwards was the way to go, … and it worked out.”
Vigneault also juggled the lines after the first period Saturday, and started with a few new combinations Sunday. That included Jimmy Vesey being bumped up to play with Kevin Hayes and Zuccarello, while Michael Grabner went with J.T. Miller and Nash.
Defenseman Marc Staal started where he left off, on the top pair with captain Ryan McDonagh, while Brady Skjei went with Kevin Shattenkirk.