The Filip Chytil Conundrum To Play Or Not To Play

Filip Chytil is a head case in the most serious sense of the word. Or, to borrow from Hamlet – center on Will Shakespeare's sextet – To Play Or Not To Play.

If I'm Fiery Fil, and I'm feeling ginger-peachy again, I'm gonna wanna be on the ice tomorrow in Vancouver.

After all, the ice is where he belongs and he won't want anyone to take away his living and the sport he loves playing most of all.

Who can blame him? Certainly not The Maven.

But Rangers fans who I know and respect – despite their passion for the Blueshirts – are not passionate about a Chytil comeback.

George Grimm, author of many Blueshirt books including "We Did Everything But Win," is emphatic about Chytil.

"At this point," says Grimm, "Chytil really needs to retire. It's a shame and I know it will be a tough decision. But he needs to consider the quality of the rest of his life – and those who might have to take care of him."

Down Florida way, Alan Greenberg recalls that Eric Lindros' kid brother Brett packed it in early as an Islander because of multiple concussions.

Greenberg: "If Chytil truly has another concussion he has to think seriously about ending it. He should listen to the medics. I know, as a parent, I'd be frantic if my kid played with the history Chytil has."

Publisher of the intensely readable "Blue Collar Blueshirts," Sean McCaffrey hits a No B.S. Bullseye with this: "If Chytil continues to play then he might not know his own name when he's 30. Sad to say but he feels like the Muhammed Ali destiny in his future"

Amen!