Pettersson Alone at the Top Again as Chytil Sits Against Toronto

Filip Chytil is out for Thursday's game against the Maple Leafs, which means Vancouver goes into a difficult matchup with Ty Mueller as the functional second center. Mueller has logged essentially no production this season, so the drop from Pettersson to whoever is next is about as steep as it gets.

This isn't a new concern. Back in October I noted that center was a position of known fragility — the gap between Pettersson and everyone behind him was already the most uncomfortable thing on the roster. Chytil, when healthy, at least gave the team something recognizable at the position. Without him, Vancouver is leaning on Elias Pettersson to carry the middle of the ice and hoping the rest of the group can stay out of trouble.

No timeline on Chytil's return has been reported. For one game against Toronto, Vancouver will manage. But the position was already flagged as a moderate structural problem, and nights like this are exactly why.