The main draw to Chytil is his skating. He's got one of the most fluid strides I've seen in a while, making him an effortless skater. He's the type of player that has sneaky speed. As a defender, it doesn't looks like he's coming at you at lightning speed, but you're chasing him two strides later.
Like all of the NHL's top-end skaters, Chytil has gears. His lower body is well built, giving him advantages in three skating categories. The first, his top speed, which he uses to win puck races and get separation on breakaways is good. Against his own age group, he routinely blew past players. In his first few games in the AHL, he doesn't seem to have any trouble with the speed at which his competition plays either.
The second, his puck carrying speed, particularly through the neutral zone, makes him a controlled zone entry machine. In his first weekend in the AHL, the defensemen were so focused on Chytil's speed through the neutral zone, they completely missed his teammates (who eventually got the puck) skate by him. At the U18s, Chytil was ripping defensive schemes apart with his speed and ability to shift weight to slip through checks. He's a very slick, slippery skater when he has the puck and that will only get better.
The third is his acceleration, where the lower body is key. The NHL has all but removed the ability of defending players to slow the puck carrier. A tap on the hands or pants is a slash, and anything parallel to the ice is a hook. This is a huge advantage for players who can get to top speed in one or two strides the way Chytil can. Defenders aren't going to be able to slow him up the way they used to, which means the likelihood he gets the puck and strides by them increases, creating more scoring opportunities. When you combine the acceleration with the fluid stride, Chytil can easily change direction and dart in and out of areas, creating a nightmare for defenders.
Chytil doesn't have the heavy offensive upside that the players taken before him do. He doesn't project to be a top line pivot, but that isn't what he was drafted to be. The Rangers have Zibanejad and Andersson. Chytil is projected to be a really good, dependable, two-way pivot with the ability to put the puck in the net. His skating is NHL ready and then some, he moves the puck well, and his shot has the potential to be a big weapon. He understands the defensive side of the game and where he needs to be, one of the biggest hurdles for a young pivot. Once he gets a little stronger and grows into his body, he should contribute the way Couturier and Kadri contribute to their teams. That is, a good two-way player, capable of being the matchup (shutdown) guy, that plays both sides of special teams, and can contribute offensively. With the NHL moving toward speed and scoring, having a pivot who can skate on both sides of the puck and contribute offensively is key to being successful. The Rangers have a good one in Chytil, he will be a key piece of their future.
