The Vancouver Canucks hit the ice for practice Thursday morning at Rogers Arena riding the momentum of their first win of the calendar year. That win over the Washington Capitals didn’t just bring two points-it also brought a welcome sight: Teddy Blueger back in the lineup, healthy and active.
But the Canucks might not be done getting reinforcements. Head coach Adam Foote hinted that forward Filip Chytil could be on the verge of returning, possibly as soon as Friday night’s matchup against the New Jersey Devils.
“Yeah, as long as today went well, he’s going to play,” Foote said Thursday. “So, unless they come to me and say something changed, I don’t see that happening, but you never know, right?
It looks promising. We’ll know for sure in the morning, probably in the morning, but it looks good.”
If Chytil does suit up, it’ll mark the end of a long road back. The 26-year-old hasn’t played since October 19, when he took a punishing neutral-zone hit from Tom Wilson during a wild first period that saw Vancouver score three goals. That collision sidelined Chytil with a concussion-an all-too-familiar setback in a career that’s been repeatedly interrupted by head injuries.
Before the injury, Chytil was off to a promising start, notching three goals in six games. Two of those came in the third period of opening night, when he helped seal a 5-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. It was the kind of performance that hinted at a breakout season, but once again, health got in the way.
This week, Chytil spoke publicly for the first time since the injury, opening up about the emotional toll of yet another concussion. His words were raw, honest, and a reminder that the grind of an NHL season isn’t just physical-it’s deeply mental, especially for players battling long-term health issues.
“From the beginning, it was very hard because I was hopeful that I could manage to play all 82 games, but it wasn’t the case,” Chytil said. “But this is the part of the sport and I can avoid it sometimes, but yeah, sometimes it is the days like [these] the last two years [that have] been very hard for myself and for my wife, for my family especially.
And yeah, I missed so many events. I missed so many games in the NHL.
Now I’m gonna miss Olympics as well, so it sucks, but it is what it is.”
There’s a lot packed into that quote-disappointment, frustration, and the weight of missed opportunity. Chytil’s been through this before, and he knows the road back isn’t just about getting cleared to play. It’s about regaining rhythm, confidence, and the mental edge that makes the difference at the NHL level.
For the Canucks, a healthy Chytil would be a significant addition. He brings speed, offensive upside, and versatility down the middle-traits that could help balance their forward group as they look to build off their recent win and gain traction in the standings.
Nothing’s official yet. The final call will come Friday morning. But if all goes well, Chytil could be back on the ice where he belongs-competing, contributing, and continuing a comeback that’s been months in the making.