After months of rehab, a Vancouver Canucks player returns tonight and finally opens up

Jan 23, 2026 (3:59 PM)

Photo credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Filip Chytil is back for the Vancouver Canucks, and you can hear the relief in his voice after a brutal stretch away.

He told reporters, "I'm very excited Can't wait to be out there with my teammates," and it sounded like a guy who's been counting every day.

This isn't just "fresh legs" talk. This is a player fighting for normal again.

Chytil last played October 19, and it ended after 5:02 because of an upper-body issue.

Vancouver has missed that middle-lane speed and quick touch that keeps a second line from getting stuck on the walls.

-

He's set to return Friday against New Jersey, which is a real test right away.

Before he went down, Chytil had 3-0-3 in six games. No fluff, just production.

The Canucks didn't bring him in as a passenger. They brought him in to drive play behind Elias Pettersson.

Honestly, Canucks fans have been waiting for this one with equal parts hope and dread, because you never want to rush a comeback like this.

Chytil's journey matters because his game is about confidence. You don't attack the middle if your body is still asking questions.

If he centers Brock Boeser and Drew O'Connor, that combo should give Vancouver a cleaner second-wave forecheck.

Tactically, it's the ripple effect that counts. A real second line means matchups get harder for the other team's blue line.

There's also a roster angle here. When Chytil sticks, it pushes depth guys back into more comfortable minutes.

Chytil was a 2017 first-round pick, 21st overall by the New York Rangers, and Vancouver paid a serious price to get him on January 31, 2025.

Now comes the only part that matters: how he looks between the whistles on Friday, and whether he can stay there.

Previously on HockeyLatest

POLL
JANVIER 23\|109 ANSWERS After months of rehab, a Vancouver Canucks player returns tonight and finally opens up Will Filip Chytil's return stabilize the Vancouver Canucks lineup?
Yes	42	38.5 %
No	67	61.5 %
List of polls