Peter Laviolette explains reasons to why Filip Chytil's line gets more icetime

PUBLICATION

Joshua Deeds
October 29, 2024 (5:16 PM)

SHARE THIS STORY

The New York Rangers are heading into the final week of October, with a 6-1-1 record.

Peter Laviolette has been happy with the production he's received from the Rangers' third line, featuring Kaapo Kakko, Will Cuylle, and Filip Chytil.

The line is more trusted than the Rangers 1st line of Chris Kreider, Reilly Smith, and Mika Zibanejad. It's received more deployment, as a result, and has seen eight more minutes of ice time than the top line as well.

«It's more just trying to spread the bench out a little bit,» Laviolette told reporters at the morning skate Tuesday. «Fil's line has been really good with regard to generating positive numbers My job is to try and find them minutes.»

Chytil is dominating so much, that he's received more TOI at 5v5.

The 3rd line has been on the ice for 8 goals, and 0 goals against. With a stat line of XGF of 65.31 according to Natural Stat Trick.

What's more impressive, with Chytil being healthy is the Rangers have 23-12 advantages in high-danger chances with him on the ice.

While Will Cuylle may break out this season as well, as he's fourth on the Rangers in points with 7( 2 G, 5 A), Kakko 6 points(1 G, 5 A), and Chytil 6 points( 3 G, 3 A).

The top line centered by Vincent Trocheck, flanked by Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere, leads the Rangers with 102:10 TOI this season. They've outscored opponents 7-6 at even strength and outchanced the opposition 64-52, though they've been outchanced in high-danger attempts 24-22.

Ironically, the "top-line" has been on the ice for 3 goals for, and 3 goals against with an XGF of 44%.

Laviolette has been a little gentler with their discipline though.

«Often, I'd say, they draw the tougher matchup,» Laviolette explained. «I think they're looking for more (offensively), but they talk about it a lot, they watch a lot of video and they're all kind of students of the game. They want to get better.»

Do you think the third line would be treated so kindly? I don't know.

But it's an odd season, which has seen many team's bottom-six drive offense instead of the usual top-six dominance.

Kaapo Kakko, Filip Chytil, and Will Cuylle may be the new kid line in New York, but they're also the best line.

Would you utilize the 1st or 3rd line more often if you were Peter Laviolette?