Already down Brock Boeser, the Vancouver Canucks lost two more forwards in the early going on Sunday.
Centre Filip Chytil exited the afternoon game against the Capitals after an open-ice hit from Washington forward Tom Wilson, while winger Jonathan Lekkerimaki left after taking a hard hit against the boards.
Both players were ruled out by the Canucks at the start of the second period.
The hit on Chytil occurred at the end of the first period and Chytil did not return for the start of the second. After an initial review, no penalty was called on Wilson for the hit.
As Chytil was bringing the puck up through the neutral zone, he sent a pass to Evander Kane and was hit by Wilson at centre ice moments after releasing the puck. A scrum ensued after the play.
Chytil stayed down on the ice for some time after the hit, had to be helped off the ice by the team’s trainers and was immediately brought back to the team’s locker room.
The 26-year-old has gotten off to a solid start in his first full season with the Canucks, tallying three goals in the team’s first five games.
However, he has a history of head injuries and missed the end of the 2024-25 season after suffering a concussion in March. He only played 10 games in the 2023-24 season while with the Rangers after sustaining a concussion in November.
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