There might not be a more interesting player than Filip Chytil for Vancouver Canucks fans to keep an eye on in 2025-26.

Arriving as the key piece in return for JT Miller, the Czech centreman had definitely lost a bit of the lustre that he had after a 45-point campaign in 2022-23. Spending time with injury concerns and a multitude of concussions, it was almost cruelly fitting that another concussion would knock him out of the rest of the 2024-25 season.

But during that 15-game stretch in Vancouver last season, there were flashes of a player there. The motor, the speed, and the hockey IQ were all on display, with the Czech looking like one of the most dynamic Canucks on any given night that he played. Chytil definitely still has room to grow as well at 25 years old, and the Canucks are definitely looking for him to reach the ceiling they see in him.

So, what exactly are his goals and expectations going into 2025-26?

With Vancouver needing a solid presence down the middle going into this season, Chytil has the perfect opportunity to leave an impression. That also means being available to play this year, and staying healthy will be the best ability that he can show for the Canucks. Having him in the lineup already brings a lot of energy and spark whenever he’s on the ice, and that will be essential as the Canucks look to actually make the playoffs this go around.

Being healthy also gives Chytil a chance to break the 60-game mark since the 2022-23 season after injuries hampered him in 2023-24 and 24-25. That will give him the best possible chance to reestablish his production, return to the level he was at and put up the points that a middle-six forward should be expected to.

It wasn’t as if Chytil was particularly bad in his stint with the Canucks at the end of last year. It was more so that he just looked like he was getting into a groove before having his season shut down with injury. Hopefully, with more time to acclimate and more actual game time, the production will rebound to pre-injury levels for a player who is still young and could possibly develop into a more important piece down the line.

The JT Miller trade very much signalled that management was handing the forward corps over to Elias Pettersson as the team’s 1C. That leaves the aforementioned gap on the second line vacant, and while Chytil definitely slots in there, what if he elevated his play to match that role even more?

Exceeding expectations for the Czech forward would be establishing himself as one of the better second-line centers around the league. Chytil would hopefully contribute at both ends of the ice as he has been, while also seeing an uptick in production. Ideally, the rest of the team would also be able to play better than they did last season. However, if Chytil can drive play in the way he has shown flashes of doing, and can do so consistently on the second line, the Canucks could be in a very good spot.

It’s not as if the player himself lacks the confidence to execute these things as well. Chytil himself has said that he likes scoring and knows that he can score more. There’s much to improve on, and we’ll get a better idea of his level of play once training camp and the preseason roll around. But if he can take that next step of development in his game at the same time that he’s getting healthy, Vancouver’s forward lines become a lot less of a question mark.

Probably the worst-case scenario for Filip Chytil would be getting hurt again. With his injury and concussion history, there is a realistic possibility that his career might be cut short due to those concerns. And even if he doesn’t, the fear of regression is always present. What if it leads to unfulfilled potential or a more tentative playstyle?

For the Canucks, if Chytil were to only be a third-line forward and produce, at best, 30 points, it’s going to be a disappointment. That’s doubly disappointing, considering he was the main piece of the Miller trade, and not even coming close to being a contributing member of the Canucks would definitely hurt now and into the future. It is something that, unfortunately, is a potential concern and would also probably spell the end of this contending core.

Ideally, no players ever dip below the expected level. But not just from the Canucks’ standpoint, the personal life aspect for Chytil would also be of concern, particularly regarding his quality of life outside of hockey.

For 2025-26, it’ll be interesting to see what Chytil brings, especially after a full offseason and entering the year with a training camp and preseason with the Canucks. He has made media appearances and said many encouraging things, and hopefully, a good chunk of them will manifest positively this upcoming season.

The biggest key of all is the health aspect. If Chytil can stay healthy, his baseline already improves the Canucks in a wide variety of dimensions. That health will also go a long way to his development as a player, one that can hopefully lock down and cement Vancouver’s second line, anchoring it to be one of the better top-sixes across the league.

If the Canucks are to contend and make noise in the regular season, becoming a legitimate playoff team, Chytil will be a significant reason. The skill, the motor, and the talent are already there – now it’s time to see what he can bring in a larger role, with more time to play and develop.