How Filip Chytil has become a first-line force for Rangers

This first full season in the NHL has been a roller-coaster ride for Filip Chytil, but the Rangers’ 20-year-old forward has earned his current spot as a first-line winger.

Chytil’s game has changed quite a bit since the beginning of this campaign, with first-year head coach David Quinn trying to coax as much as he can out of Chytil’s terrific talent. But what that has meant is Chytil has simplified a bit, not overhandling the puck or trying to force something that isn’t there.

“I think a lot has changed in his game,” Quinn said before his team’s 3-1 win over the Ducks on Tuesday night at the Garden. “He’s more purposeful without the puck, he’s playing more at a pace, he’s more competitive around the puck, he’s pressuring the puck more, he’s more responsible defensively, understanding his assignments.”

Chytil, the No. 21-overall pick in 2017, is naturally a center, and the Rangers still project him there long-term. But for the time being, he has found some chemistry with Mika Zibanejad and Mats Zuccarello, making for a dynamic top trio.

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“One thing that has really jumped out at me from the initial-rush standpoint, early in the year, every time he had it, he tried to get too creative on one-on-one situations,” Quinn said. “Now a lot of times he’s driving wide, with his speed. There is a lot more simple mindset to his game which allows his skill to influence the game.”

That was exemplified when Chytil caught the Ducks in a bad line change late in the third period on Tuesday and drove wide to the net. He ended up being taken down and slamming into goalie Chad Johnson, taking what was a borderline goalie-interference penalty.

But after Kevin Hayes scored what would be the game-winner on a shorthanded breakaway, Chytil was rewarded with the empty-netter to seal the game, his sixth goal and 12th point in the first 33 games.

The Rangers know they’re a better team when they play with an edge, but Quinn had a explanation for what that exactly means.

“When I said be physical, it doesn’t mean just running out on a fool’s errand just to make a hit,” he said. “It means this game is going to present plenty of opportunity to be physical. There are a lot of 50-50 puck battles that you are going to want to get involved in. In order to do that, you have to skate. You can’t hide. Too often, lately, we haven’t looked like we wanted to get into those 50-50 puck battles. When we do, we have a chance to have success.”

In Brendan Smith’s return to the lineup Tuesday after being a healthy scratch for three of the previous four games, he got 15:19 of ice time alongside Tony DeAngelo and finished with a plus-1 rating. It should be interesting to see if Quinn gets Freddy Claesson back in — and for who — against the explosive Maple Leafs on Saturday.