Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Quinn Hughes

Hurricanes, Capitals Linked To Quinn Hughes

at CDT | by 28 Comments

It appears that more teams are smelling blood in the water when it comes to Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes. After already being linked to the Detroit Red Wings and New Jersey Devils, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals have now made their interest known.

In the article, Pagnotta said, “We know the usual suspects. We’ll continue to hear more teams, I’m sure, as this progresses, but the latest two that I have are the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals.”

Neither team’s interest comes as a surprise. The Hurricanes have been one of the most consistently good teams in the Eastern Conference over the past few years, making three Eastern Conference Final appearances since the 2019 postseason. Additionally, the Capitals were the top team in the Eastern Conference last season and have again vaulted themselves to the top of the table in recent weeks, winning 10 of their previous 12 games.

Objectively, for all 31 other teams, Hughes improves the roster wholesale. In the case of Carolina and Washington, he fits a long-term hole as well. The two years remaining on Hughes’ contract coincide with Shayne Gostisbehere’s with the Hurricanes, who is the offensive leader of their defensive core. Additionally, although they have Jakob Chychrun signed through the 2023-33 season, acquiring Hughes would make for a far easier transition out of the John Carlson era in Washington.

Regardless, if the Canucks were not only to entertain the idea of trading a player of Hughes’ caliber but actively seek one, the acquiring team would have to provide the goods. It’s well known that Vancouver is looking for a longer-term solution down the middle, and they would likely want several additional futures as well.

In Carolina, although the Canucks would expectably target Logan Stankoven, the Hurricanes would likely be unwilling to move him since they signed him to an eight-year, $48MM extension this past offseason. Still, Carolina could counter with quantity over quality, much like they did when they acquired Jake Guentzel from the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023-24.

None of the prospects are bona fide top-six forwards (yet), but the Hurricanes could offer a package of Bradly Nadeau, Ivan Ryabkin, and Felix Unger Sörum, along with one or multiple of their four first-round selections over the next three years.

Meanwhile, the Capitals have all three of their first-round picks through the 2028 NHL Draft and have a movable center that could easily shift into the Canucks’ top-six, unlike the trio of hypothetical options from Carolina. Forward Connor McMichael, who is headed for restricted free agency next summer (UFA after 2028-29), could be a headliner in a potential Hughes trade.

After scoring 26 goals for Washington last season, McMichael has only four in 30 games this season. Still, after averaging a 14.1% shooting percentage from 2023 to 2025, there’s reason to believe his current 6.3% rate won’t last. Additionally, since he’s under team control for the next three seasons after this one, the Canucks would have plenty of time to sign him to a long-term extension.

Canucks, Red Wings Have Reportedly Spoken About Quinn Hughes

at CDT | by 15 Comments

Following up on his report from Saturday Headlines, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has reported on another team that has spoken to the Vancouver Canucks regarding a potential trade for star defenseman Quinn Hughes. In today’s rendition of 32 Thoughts, Friedman shares that the Detroit Red Wings have inquired about Hughes’ availability.

Like his update linking Hughes to the New Jersey Devils, it doesn’t appear anything is imminent with the Red Wings, either. About New Jersey, Friedman said, “I do not believe there is anything imminent. I don’t even know that they’re anywhere far along. But I do believe that a conversation was had about where things stand and where they might be going.” It appears similar conversations have been had with Detroit.

This isn’t the first report linking the Red Wings to Hughes, although it is the first confirming that the interest is legitimate. A week and a half ago, Jeff Marek of The Sheet reported that Detroit was a team to watch if the Canucks were open to moving Hughes, citing defenseman Simon Edvinsson as a potential headliner that could head back to Vancouver.

Additionally, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period suggested that Lucas Raymond would be of the most interest to the Canucks. For what it’s worth, although he didn’t mention a specific name, Friedman believes that if they were to move Hughes, Vancouver would only trade him unless a prominent center was coming back, which would make Edvinsson or Raymond a non-starter. There’s no indication the Red Wings would have any interest in moving either, even if they were able to acquire a defenseman of Hughes’ caliber.

Although the Red Wings don’t have the benefit of rostering Hughes’ brothers, the family’s connection to Detroit runs deep. Before debuting in the NHL, Hughes spent nearly four years in southeast Michigan, playing for the United States National Team Development Program before playing for the University of Michigan Wolverines.

Notably, during the 2018 NHL Draft, Detroit surprisingly selected Filip Zadina, who’s now playing for the NL’s HC Davos, while Hughes was still on the table. The Canucks selected Hughes one pick later with the seventh overall pick.

Much like it would be for any team, acquiring a consistent Norris Trophy candidate such as Hughes would be a franchise-altering move for the Red Wings. The team already has a top-pairing defenseman in Moritz Seider, though he doesn’t offer the same offensive profile as Hughes.

Regardless, whether it be with Detroit or New Jersey, it doesn’t appear that the Canucks are close to trading Hughes or even firmly entertaining the idea. However, with their position in the standings and the fact that Hughes is expected to become an unrestricted free agent after next season, teams from around the league are beginning to gain confidence that the Canucks could end up moving him now rather than lose him for nothing after next year.

Canucks, Devils Reportedly Spoke Regarding Quinn Hughes

at CDT | by 14 Comments

During the Saturday Headlines segment of Hockey Night in Canada yesterday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils have held talks related to the status of Canucks captain Quinn Hughes. Friedman said that while he does “not believe there is anything imminent” regarding Hughes, “a conversation was had” between the two clubs “about where things stand and where they might be going.”

Per The Athletic’s Thomas Drance, Hughes commented on Friedman’s report last night, saying “It’s not like me, [Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford] and [Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald] hopped on a call, I wasn’t a part of that.” He added: “But obviously I’m aware that things like that could happen.”

As the Canucks have struggled to build a team capable of making a serious push towards Stanley Cup contention, the future of Hughes in Vancouver has come under increased scrutiny. The 26-year-old is under contract through 2026-27, and has shied away from verbally committing his future to the only NHL franchise he’s ever known to this point.

Two months ago, Hughes appeared on the 32 Thoughts podcast and appeared non-committal about his future in Vancouver. Jack Hughes expressed strong interest in playing with his older brother at some point in his career, and Quinn, when asked about Jack’s comments, said that he’d “of course” be interested in at some point playing with his two brothers in the NHL.

While that doesn’t mean Quinn is necessarily eyeing the upcoming expiration of his contract as his chance to play with Jack and Luke Hughes, the expiration of his contract does pose a potentially existential threat to the Canucks’ competitive hopes. For what it’s worth, it appears the Canucks have been planning for at least the possibility that Hughes will want to continue his NHL career elsewhere.

Drance reported on Nov. 25 that it’s “been evident for a while is that Vancouver has already undergone some level of contingency planning with regard to Hughes, dating back to this offseason.” He added that the team’s reported interest in Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram and Anaheim Ducks blueliner Pavel Mintyukov may have been part of the club’s long-term planning for the possibility of a Hughes departure, even if their first priority remains signing Hughes to an extension.

The Canucks’ diligence in planning for all potential outcomes related to Hughes may have influenced their decision to reportedly speak to the Devils more recently.

Because of the fact that New Jersey currently has both of Hughes’ brothers under contract, and appear to be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, they’ve been pointed to as the clear front-runner to secure Quinn’s services should he appear on the trade market or in unrestricted free agency.

If Hughes makes it clear he is unwilling to sign an extension in Vancouver, one would have to imagine that the club would aggressively pursue trading Hughes for the best possible return. Hughes is in the middle of his prime and is among the league’s top defensemen.

Even with an expiring contract next season, the Canucks would likely receive a massive return of assets in exchange for Hughes, assets that could jump-start the club’s push back towards real Stanley Cup contention.

Speaking to the Devils to at least touch base on things, as Friedman has reported the Canucks have done, then becomes a natural part of preparing for all potential outcomes. If the Canucks eventually do consider trading Hughes, the Devils would instantly become a key team in the race to acquire him, so to speak with the Devils now allows the Canucks to at least begin to lay the groundwork for any future trade talks that could be held.

While as Friedman appeared to note, it still appears to be too early for the Canucks to get into serious conversations about what a Hughes trade would look like, it’s not too early for them to feel out the landscape of what teams might be interested in Hughes, and how interested those teams might be.

Photos courtesy of Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

West Notes: Hughes, Foegele, Thomas, Foligno

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Canucks were without their top defenseman tonight against Edmonton as Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province notes that Quinn Hughes was scratched due to a lower-body injury.  Head coach Adam Foote indicated that the absence should be short-term, at least, as Hughes is listed as day-to-day.  The 26-year-old didn’t appear to be impacted by the injury on Saturday against Montreal as he picked up two assists and logged more than 26 minutes of playing time, right around his season average.  Hughes is off to another strong start to his season, picking up seven points in nine games while his 26:38 ATOI is an NHL high.

More from out West:

  • The Kings announced (Twitter link) that winger Warren Foegele exited tonight’s game against Chicago with an injury and will not return. The injury occurred in the first period on a hit from Nick Foligno and he looked to be favoring his shoulder afterward.  After putting up his second straight season of at least 20 goals and 40 points in 2024-25, Foegele has had a slow start to his campaign with just one point – a goal – in his first ten outings.  There was no update on his status after the game, mentions Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider (Twitter link).
  • The Blues announced (Twitter link) last night that center Robert Thomas sustained an upper-body injury, causing him to leave the game early. Losing the 26-year-old for any amount of time would be a tough blow for St. Louis as he’s their top center and is coming off back-to-back seasons of more than 80 points.  He has six points in eight outings so far this year after getting off to a bit of a quiet start.  The Blues don’t have an open roster spot at the moment so they’d need to make a roster move before calling up a replacement for Thomas if one is needed.
  • Wild winger Marcus Foligno is dealing with an upper-body injury that caused him to miss tonight’s game against San Jose, relays Michael Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link). The veteran has already had X-rays but the results are not yet known.  Foligno is off to a tough start to his season offensively as he has been held off the scoresheet in his first nine appearances although he’s averaging a little over three hits per game.

Evening Notes: Markstrom, Willander, Mancini, NHL Top 10

at CDT | by 6 Comments

The New Jersey Devils could be the next team to extend their starting goaltender. On the heels of a five-year, $34MM contract extension for Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson, the Devils are now working out a new deal for Jacob Markstrom, per The Fourth Period. Markstrom is entering the final year of a six-year, $36MM contract originally signed with the Calgary Flames in 2020.

Markstrom earned a second-place finish in Vezina Trophy voting on the second year of his last contract, after posting 37 wins and a .922 save percentage in 63 games of the Flames’ 2021-22 season. He fell drastically in 2022, landing at a .895 save percentage in 59 games with Calgary, and only rebounded to a .905 in 48 games of 2023-24. That prompted a summer trade to greener pastures, landing Markstrom with a playoff contender in the New Jersey Devils. He posted a middling .900 save percentage in 49 games of his first season with the Devils. That’s far from the .910 mark that Markstrom routinely challenged at his peak, but on a well-rounded Devils squad, average numbers from the aging veteran have proven supportive enough. He is sure to take a big hit on both term and salary in his next contract, which could take him through the rest of his career.

Other notes from across the league:

  • The Vancouver Canucks made a pair of important decisions earlier today. They have assigned top defense prospects Tom Willander and Victor Mancini to the minor-leagues, after both clung to the camp roster to nearly the final day. Mancini played his first full season in the pros last year. It was certainly eventful, spread between NHL and AHL ice time with the New York Rangers and Canucks, and ending with a Calder Cup win with the Abbotsford Canucks. In total, he recorded eight points in 31 NHL games and 21 points in 54 AHL games on the season. Meanwhile, Tom Willander was a core piece of the National Championship runner-up, the Boston University Terriers. He posted 24 points in 39 games with the club – one point fewer, in one game more, than he managed in his freshman season. Willander is nonetheless a pillar of consistency on both ends of the ice, and will look to prove that soon with his pro debut in Abbotsford.
  • The NHL has announced their top-10 players, wrapping up their Top 50 Players series just two days before Opening Night. The list is, of course, headlined by Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid. His teammate, Leon Draisaitl, holds the third spot, while Colorado Avalanche superstars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar hold #2 and #4 respectively. The rest of the list includes, in turn: Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, Penguins center Sidney Crosby, Jets goalie and reigning MVP Connor Hellebuyck, Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Canucks defender Quinn Hughes. It’s hard to argue any other names should be featured on the list, though Panthers fans may feel salt in the wound seeing their captain, and perennial Selke Trophy candidate, landing in the top-10 on the heels of a season-ending injury.

Evening Notes: Atlanta, Kane/Toews, Hughes Brothers

at CDT | by 14 Comments

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly spoke openly about the potential for an expansion team in Atlanta during a media availability on Tuesday. In it, Daly shared that the league hasn’t yet received a full proposal yet, per ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski. Wyshynski further points out that a group backed by Krause Sports and Entertainment has received approval on a $3B arena development in Forsyth County, Georgia. They are one of multiple groups vying for ownership over a potential Atlanta squad.

Notably, Daly also voiced support for the idea of expansion overall. He told Wyshynski that the NHL is “uniquely positioned” for more teams because of how deep the player pool has become. Daly pointed towards the growth of smaller hockey markets as evidence of that growth, and said that adding new teams would be no issue for the NHL. That’s a strong bode of confidence towards the idea of expansion, though it doesn’t seem the league isn’t growing any more roots just yet.

Other notes from around the hockey world:

  • Future Hall-of-Fame winger Patrick Kane spoke with Wynshynski about Jonathan Toews’ return to the NHL. Kane called his former batterymate’s comeback a great story, and remarked that it’s been enjoyable to follow Toews’ return as the two still talk frequently. The conversation led to Kane, once again, receiving the question of whether he’d have interest in moving to his own hometown club, the Buffalo Sabres, in the same way that Toews chose to join the Winnipeg Jets. Kane batted away the question, instead affirming how much he’s enjoyed playing for the clubs he has already played for – including Detroit. He called the Red Wings a team on the rise, and the source of his career’s revival. Kane scored 21 goals and 59 points in 72 games with the Red Wings last season. It brought his total scoring with the club up to 106 points in 122 games – and his career-long scoring up to 1,343 points in 1,302 games.
  • Top New Jersey Devils centerman Jack Hughes also caught attention for interview comments on Wednesday. While participating at the NHL Media Tour, Hughes said that he would love to have a chance to play with his brother Quinn, whether that been in New Jersey or not, per Thomas Drance of The Athletic. The storyline of if, and when, the Hughes brothers would reconnect has been a rich one all summer. They’re a close-knit trio of brothers, including youngest brother Luke, with two-thirds currently playing in the Devils organization. But acquiring Quinn would be a near-impossible task for Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald. Quinn is among the league’s best defensemen. He won the 2024 Norris Trophy, and finished last season as a Norris finalist. New Jersey – or, any team – would need to sell the farm to land Quinn. Luckily, he is roughly one month away from his 26th birthday, giving the Hughes brothers plenty of time to regroup with their oldest sibling before he’s past his prime yeras.

NHL Announces 2024-25 All-Star Teams

at CDT | by 9 Comments

Shortly after announcing this year’s All-Rookie Team, the NHL shared this year’s First and Second All-Star Teams. There are few surprises, with several of the recipients receiving votes for major awards around the league. The teams are as follows:

First Team

LW Kyle Connor (Jets) – Connor arguably completed the best season of his career, scoring 41 goals and 97 points, barely eclipsing his 93-point campaign in 2021-22 (although he did score 46 goals). Being the offensive leader for the Presidents Trophy-winning team made him a lock for All-Star Team honors, and he beat out Hagel by 100 votes.

C Nathan MacKinnon (Avalanche) – In the closest vote, MacKinnon nearly beat out Draisaitl as the league’s top center from the 2024-25 season, with Draisaitl receiving more First Team votes than MacKinnon. Still, the 2023-24 Most Valuable Player scored 10 more points than Draisaitl this year, while arguably being a larger part of his team’s success without having Connor McDavid as a teammate.

RW Nikita Kucherov (Lightning) – The reigning Art Ross Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award winner was a near-unanimous selection for First Team honors, with only two voters assessing he wasn’t worthy. Although he couldn’t match his 100-assist output from last year, Kucherov was again dominant for the Bolts, scoring 37 goals and 121 points in 78 games.

D Cale Makar (Avalanche) – This year’s James Norris Trophy winner received the most First Team votes of any player on the 2024-25 All-Star Teams with 189. Makar has been on one of the best offensive runs from a defenseman in recent memory, scoring 51 goals and 182 points in his last 157 games, with another six goals and 20 points in 18 postseason contests.

D Zach Werenski (Blue Jackets) – As one of the more unheralded members of the All-Star Team, Werenski came into his own during the 2024-25 campaign. He scored 23 goals and 82 points in 81 games, averaged 26:45 of ice time per game, and finished with 131 blocked shots. Being one of the prime reasons that the Columbus Blue Jackets nearly qualified for the postseason, it’s unsurprising Werenski received so many Norris votes and was named one of the league’s top defensemen.

G Connor Hellebuyck (Jets) – Despite tying with Kucherov with the second-most First Team votes, there was no clearer choice for the league’s top netminder than Hellebuyck. The American netminder secured the Vezina Trophy and Hart Memorial Trophy this season, leading the league in wins (47), GAA (2.00), shutouts(8), Goals Saved Above Average (41.6), and Adjusted Goals Against Average (2.13).

Second Team

LW Brandon Hagel (Lightning) – Hagel narrowly beat out Alex Ovechkin for Second Team honors despite the latter receiving more First Team votes. Regardless of Ovechkin’s impressive season, there’s no question the right decision was made with Hagel. The six-year veteran scored 35 goals and 90 points in 82 games for Tampa Bay this season, besting his career-high last season by 15 points. Additionally, unlike Ovechkin, Hagel finished ninth in Selke Trophy voting as one of the league’s top defensive forwards.

C Leon Draisaitl (Oilers) – As previously mentioned, the vote between Draisaitl and MacKinnon came down to the wire. Draisaitl finished with an equally impressive season, scoring 52 goals and 106 points in 71 games, securing the Maurice Richard Trophy as the league’s top goal-scorer. Furthermore, in a solid argument for Draisaitl, he finished sixth in Selke Trophy voting, far higher than MacKinnon, who placed 29th.

RW David Pastrňák (Bruins) – In another close vote, Pastrňák narrowly bested Toronto Maple Leaf Mitch Marner for the second-best right winger from the 2024-25 campaign. Despite a lackluster year from the Boston Bruins, who finished with the 28th-ranked offense, Pastrňák didn’t notice. The Czech winger scored 43 goals and 106 points in 82 games, and brought up his production over the last three years to 151 goals and 329 points in 246 games.

D Victor Hedman (Lightning) – The captain of the Lightning was also in a close vote, beating Winnipeg Jets’ Josh Morrissey by a few votes. There are arguments for both sides, but Hedman finished the year with more goals (15), assists (51), points (66), blocked shots (133), and CorsiFor% at even strength (53.5%) compared to Morrissey.

D Quinn Hughes (Canucks) – Hughes rightfully received the most Second Team votes of his counterparts. As the primary reason the Vancouver Canucks had any sense of competitiveness this year, Hughes scored 16 goals and 76 points in 68 games, averaging 25:44 of ice time a game. Had Hughes remained healthy for the entire 2024-25 campaign, he likely would have presented a bigger challenge to Makar and Werenski as the league’s top blueliner.

G Andrei Vasilevskiy (Lightning) – After a down 2023-24 campaign (comparatively to his career), Vasilevskiy returned to form in 2024-25. The former Vezina Trophy winner finished with a 38-20-5 record in 63 starts, with a .921 SV% and 2.18 GAA. It wasn’t enough to beat out Hellebuyck, but Vasilevskiy easily would have been named the league’s top netminder in any other year.

Snapshots: Canucks, Bruins, Viro

at CDT | by 7 Comments

It could be a long summer for the Vancouver Canucks. After a disappointing 2024-25 campaign in which they fell short of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the team lost their head coach and could have a few key players leave via free agency. It seems they will struggle to find suitable replacements on the free agent market.

Earlier today, Rick Dhaliwal of The Athletic passed along a note from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman articulating why top free agents don’t seem interested in joining the Canucks. Friedman points out that the internal rift between Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller has steered players away in recent years, and captain Quinn Hughes’ pending unrestricted free agency in a few years is the other reason.

Any top free-agent signing in Vancouver would undoubtedly want Hughes to be part of the team for the long term. He has proven to be one of the best defensemen in the NHL and would significantly enhance the competitiveness of any team. Unfortunately, the Canucks are unable to provide a definitive answer this summer, as they cannot negotiate an extension with Hughes for another year. Additionally, there has been no indication of whether Hughes is interested in extending his contract with Vancouver.

Other snapshots:

  • As one of the few remaining teams still seeking a head coach, the Boston Bruins have reportedly made some headway in their search. According to Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff, the Bruins have completed their first round of interviews and have significantly narrowed down their pool. At the time of writing, and of the remaining coaches on the market, the Bruins have only been connected to Jay Leach, Mitch Love, and Luke Richardson.
  • A report out of Sweden suggests that the Detroit Red Wings could lose one of their defensive prospects in a few days. The report indicates that defenseman Eemil Viro will join the SHL’s Malmö Redhawks for the 2025-26 campaign. Viro, the 70th overall selection of the 2020 NHL Draft, had spent the last three years with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins, scoring three goals and 19 points in 142 games with a -17 rating.

Quinn Hughes, Cale Makar, Zach Werenski Named Norris Trophy Finalists

at CDT | by 7 Comments

The Canucks’ Quinn Hughes, the Avalanche’s Cale Makar, and the Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski are the 2024-25 Norris Trophy finalists for the NHL’s top defenseman, per a league announcement.

There are no surprises in this triumvirate. While it’s likely to be a closer race than yesterday’s Vezina Trophy announcement, Makar’s the frontrunner after setting a new career high with 30 goals and 92 points in 80 games. Now a Norris finalist five times in six years to begin his career, the 26-year-old became the first rearguard since Mike Green in 2008-09 to hit the 30-goal mark. He was the first to also eclipse 90 points in the same year since Paul Coffey in 1988-89.

Makar’s defensive impacts also rebounded after a strikingly pedestrian 2023-24 season in his own end. He posted a 56.6 CF% at even strength and a 59.4 xGF%, the latter standing as a career-high over a non-shortened season. He’s finished third in Norris voting the last two years after winning the award in 2022, but he’s almost certainly set to get back into the top two.

If not for an oblique injury taking a bite out of his campaign, Hughes would have more of a chance to win back-to-back Norris Trophies for the first time since Nicklas Lidström’s three-peat from 2006 to 2008. The 5’10” lefty matched the 1.12 points-per-game rate that won him the honors last year and finished the year with 16-60–76 in 68 games, his fourth straight campaign above the 60-assist mark. Hughes’ 25:44 time on ice per game trailed only Werenski among skaters.

As for Werenski, he becomes the first defenseman in Blue Jackets franchise history to earn a Norris nomination. The 27-year-old finished eighth in voting in 2019-20 but hasn’t received any consideration since then. He exploded back onto the scene in 2024-25, driving Columbus’ resurgent seventh-ranked offense with a team-high 82 points in 81 games. His 1.01 points per game were third in the league behind Makar and Hughes, but a higher percentage of his offensive production came at even strength. 35 and 29 of Makar’s and Hughes’ points came with the man advantage, while Werenski had only 25 power-play points and matched Makar’s 54 even-strength points to lead defensemen. Werenski also led defensemen with 298 shots on goal and ranked third in the league overall.

Injury Notes: Hughes, Pettersson, Anderson, Crosby

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Vancouver Canucks could be a few star players short in their first game back out of the 4 Nations Face-Off break. Head coach Rick Tocchett (shared via Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre) confirmed that forward Elias Pettersson and defenseman Quinn Hughes won’t be available against the Vegas Golden Knights tomorrow due to injuries.

No report specified what type of injury Pettersson is dealing with but he’s only expected to miss a day or two. Meanwhile, Hughes’ oblique injury precluded him from participating in the international hockey tournament although he did attempt to return for the championship bout between Canada and the United States.

Vancouver entered the 4 Nations Face-Off break on the heels of a 6-1-1 record. Pettersson and Hughes could miss the second half of the back-to-back against the Utah Hockey Club on Sunday but the club could become increasingly uneasy should their absences extend further.

Other injury notes:

  • According to The Athletic’s Eric Stephens, the Los Angeles Kings are expected to welcome back defenseman Michael Anderson against the Utah Hockey Club tomorrow night. The six-year pro missed the last four games before the 4 Nations Face-Off because of a finger injury. Los Angeles still needs to activate Anderson from the injured reserve but his return will give the Kings a healthy lineup to start the final stretch of the regular season.
  • Despite playing in all four of Canada’s games for the 4 Nations Face-Off, captain Sidney Crosby may not be ready to return to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Josh Yohe of The Athletic reported earlier that Crosby will be a game-time decision for tomorrow afternoon’s action against the Washington Capitals. Yohe didn’t specify whether Crosby is dealing with a minor injury or needs another day of rest from the hotly-contested event. The future Hall of Famer finished his sixth championship-winning international event with one goal and four assists.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top