Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin announced on Tuesday afternoon that defenceman Filip Hronek would be out approximately eight weeks after a successful procedure on his lower body. He also said that Hronek would not need surgery on the upper-body injury that has forced him to miss the last two games.
Hronek was injured against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 27 when he was hit into the boards by Jack St. Ivany. He fell awkwardly on his right shoulder and was visibly in pain as he went to the ice. The Canucks did not provide any updates in the days following the game, as head coach Rick Tocchet said that he was still being evaluated. It’s good news that he won’t require surgery on his shoulder since he would have been sidelined the rest of the season if that was the only option.
In his absence, the Canucks have elevated Tyler Myers to the top pairing with Quinn Hughes while Erik Brannstrom has taken on a larger role in the top four. Noah Juulsen has also had a regular spot in the lineup over the last two games, highlighted by a gritty effort against the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday (Dec. 1) where he had five blocks and five hits. Vincent Desharnais has also been placed in a second-pairing role alongside Brannstrom while Carson Soucy has been deployed with Juulsen on the bottom pairing. Mark Friedman was recalled as the seventh defenceman on Nov. 29.
The Canucks are in Minnesota to take on the Wild later tonight as they close out their six-game road trip. Despite not having Hronek in the last two games, they have strung together two overtime wins and will be looking to head back to Vancouver sporting an 11-2-0 record on the road.
