The Rangers have signed Filip Chytil to a four-year extension worth $4.4375 million per season. (NYR, Friedman)
The deal does not include any trade protection and Chytil will be a UFA when the contract expires. (CapFriendly)
From the Rangers:
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- Chytil, 23, has recorded a career-high in goals (22), assists (20) and points (42) this season while skating in 66 games for the Blueshirts.
- Among NHL centers 23 years or younger, he ranks tied for fifth in goals. He is the seventh Rangers player in the past 20 years to record a 20-goal season at age 23 or younger, joining Pavel Buchnevich (21 in 2018-19), J.T. Miller (22 in 2015-16), Chris Kreider (21 in 2014-15), Derek Stepan (21 in 2010-11), Brandon Dubinsky (20 in 2009-10) and Petr Prucha (30 in 2005-06).
- Among all NHL players who average 15 minutes or less of ice time this season, he ranks tied first in points and second in goals. On the Rangers, he ranks fourth in goals.
Adam Rotter: This is a terrific contract for the Rangers and locks Chytil up through 2026-27. Chytil has been really good for most of this season and this is a very favorable contract for the Rangers. It locks in one of their core young players, locks in their depth at center for at least four more seasons and it’s really great to see one of their forward first round picks getting a long-term deal.
Chytil has progressed from a 17-year old that came to the Rangers in Alain Vigneault’s final season, had some ups and downs and injuries, but really found his place on a line with Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko. He seemed to take a step in the playoffs last year, scoring nearly as many goals then as he did in either of the prior two regular seasons, and it has carried over to this year. There was some question about what his future might be after the Rangers signed Vincent Trocheck to a seven-year deal, but he has shown this year that he needs to be part of things and, for at least the next four years, he will/should be.
What this also does is remove one big piece of business for this offseason and provide a bit more clarity on how much cap space the Rangers will have to sign Alexis Lafreniere, K’Andre Miller, possibly re-sign Patrick Kane and make whatever other upgrades or moves are needed.