New York Rangers Select Center Filip Chytil 21st Overall in 2017 NHL Draft (Highlights) 2
June 23, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Filip Chytil puts on a team jersey after being selected as the number twenty-one overall pick to the New York Rangers in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

With the 21st pick, the Rangers went back into the center position to select Filip Chytil out of the Czech Republic.

With the 21st selection in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Rangers selected 6-foot-2 center Filip Chytil out of the top Czech Republic league as an extremely young kid.

This kid was 10 days away from being in next years draft. He was a riser in the rankings. At this point, there is not much on Chytil, however, most compare him to someone like Ondrej Palat of the Tampa Bay Lightning, someone who finds open ice very well and has plus hockey IQ. Again, this was an off-the-board pick for the Rangers, but it’s awfully early to label these picks busts.

Chytil was able to put up 4 goals and 4 assists in the Top Men’s League in the Czech Republic as a 17-year-old. This will also help his projected arrival to the NHL as he has been playing with guys much older and mature than him.

Chytil projects to have a higher ceiling than that of Lias Andersson, as his ceiling is one of a big top six center, but worth noting, the floor for him would be much lower.

Neal Purcell has a tremendous passion for New York Rangers hockey and the sport of hockey in general. A graduate of SUNY Cortland in Upstate NY, Purcell coaches both a high school hockey team and a travel team in the winter. Purcell is also a part of a small family business in the Central New York Region.