Canucks place Filip Chytil on IR retroactive to Sept. 24 after shoulder injury in Oilers preseason game

The Story

Filip Chytil’s return timeline has been pushed back after the Vancouver Canucks placed the centre on injured reserve following an injury sustained in Thursday’s preseason matchup against the Edmonton Oilers.

The Canucks said Chytil was hurt in the first period when he collided with referee Riley Brace. In the sequence described, Brace fell heavily to the ice and Chytil, who was near the official, stumbled and went into the boards. Chytil initially stayed near the Canucks’ bench before eventually going down the tunnel and not returning to the game.

While the collision raised immediate concern about a potential head injury, the Canucks indicated there is “good news” on that front. General manager Ryan Johnson said Chytil does not appear to have a concussion.

The bad news, Johnson said, is that Chytil will still be sidelined for a while with a shoulder injury described as a muscular strain. The team characterized the situation as week-to-week, signalling that the Canucks are treating it as short-term but not immediate.

Vancouver also announced that Chytil has been placed on injured reserve. The designation is retroactive to Sept. 24, meaning it begins prior to the injury announcement but still bars him from game action until he meets return eligibility requirements.

According to the Canucks’ timeline described, Chytil would not be eligible to return until Oct. 2, 2026. That schedule would force him to miss at least the first two games of the regular season, including the home opener on Oct. 1.

Chytil’s absence could affect Vancouver’s depth at centre, particularly on the third line. With Chytil out for at least the opening stretch, the team could look to options such as Aatu Räty or Max Sasson, depending on how the Canucks set their forward groups as the regular season begins.

The injury also adds to a broader context of past health concerns for the player. At 27, Chytil has previously suffered several concussions during his NHL career, making the Canucks’ early assessment of no current concussion notable for how it shapes risk management this time.

For Vancouver, the practical impact is twofold: it removes a centre from early-season line combinations and underscores how quickly preseason events can influence the roster. With return eligibility not arriving until early October, Chytil’s status will likely be monitored closely through the week-to-week assessment framework outlined by Johnson and the Canucks’ medical updates.