Was scratching Filip Chytil a message from Gallant?

The Rangers went 117 minutes without a goal over the weekend before scoring a pair in the third of last night’s laugher. Yet before puck drop of the Canucks game, we got word that Filip Chytil was scratched so Greg McKegg could be the 3C. With no logical reason behind the move, it makes you wonder if this was a message from Gallant to Drury about the makeup of the team. Or perhaps a message from Gallant to Chytil about…something?

Greg McKegg is not a 3C

First things first, all due respect to Greg McKegg, who has been fine in a fourth line role, is not a 3C. He is not a scorer, he is not a shut down center. He is a guy that can eat minutes on the fourth line without being a detriment to your team. He is a good option as your 14/15F, and someone you rely on when dealing with multiple injuries.

With the Rangers struggling to find any semblance of offense at 5v5, there was no logical reason to scratch Filip Chytil. It’s not exactly an exaggeration to say that Chytil is a far better offensive player than McKegg, even in a down offensive year for the young center. This is not up for debate, and if the Rangers need offense, then keeping Chytil in the pressbox over McKegg is not how they address the issue.

So if we know Chytil is the better player, he was healthy, there were no issues with his play, and that the Rangers need offense, why was he scratched? One answer is this could have been a message from Gallant to Drury about what he needs from his team.

What does Gallant want on the third line?

One thing we haven’t been able to figure out –mostly due to roster construction– is what Gerard Gallant actually wants his third line to be. All Stanley Cup contenders have some level of offense from the third line, but the Rangers haven’t been able to produce consistently. This likely has to do with a combination of the RW debacle from earlier this season, and Julien Gauthier being able to do everything but score.

The current makeup of the line also doesn’t lend itself to be a true shutdown line. Chytil is responsible enough as a center, but Gauthier is still raw and the rotating cavalry of left wingers on that line doesn’t make for steady shut down prowess.

This is where roster construction starts to take hold. Even with Kaapo Kakko back, the third line likely isn’t impacted (Hunt goes to the fourth line). So what is the plan for the third line? Honestly, does anyone know?

What could the message from Gallant have been?

As the game got underway, and it was clear the Rangers were going to get Demko’d, the need to understand Chytil’s scratching intensified. With no logical on-ice reason, and with nothing we’ve seen off the ice, then what else could it have been?

One message from Gallant to Drury could be that he doesn’t believe Chytil is the right 3C for this team and the way he wants the team to play. Perhaps Gallant wants either a more consistent scorer, which giving up on Chytil for this reason is folly. Or perhaps Gallant wants his third line to be the shutdown line, which we could certainly see Chytil miscast in that role.

Or maybe (likely) there was no message and I am simply overanalyzing it. Usually the simplest explanation is the correct one. But to that point – what is the simplest explanation? Chytil’s still sick? Then why say he’s healthy? Something doesn’t make sense here.

Maybe the message was to Chytil? He’s had his struggles, but not more than anyone else right now. What aspect of his game deserves a benching?

Maybe the Rangers are closer to a Filip Chytil trade than we think? Or maybe Gallant really does think McKegg is a better hockey player. If it’s the latter, then Houston, we have a problem.