The Vancouver Canucks have been without star defenseman Quinn Hughes for their last four games. Hughes suffered an injury during their January 31st contest against the Dallas Stars. The injury threw his status for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in doubt. Now, we have received official word on whether he will play for Team USA in the tournament.
Hughes will miss the 4 Nations Face-Off due to injury, the Canucks confirmed on social media on Sunday. Hughes has not played since the January 31st loss to the Stars. The earliest he can return is on February 22, when Vancouver returns from the 4 Nations break to face the Vegas Golden Knights.
Hughes won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman in 2023-24. This season, though, he has found another gear. The Canucks star is playing some of his best hockey in 2024-25. To this point, he has 14 goals and 59 points through 47 games for Vancouver.
Team USA confirms replacement for Canucks' Quinn Hughes
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Team USA will certainly miss Quinn Hughes on the ice. The Canucks star is genuinely one of the best defensemen in the world at this time. It's a massive blow to the American blueline. However, they did work fast to name a replacement.
Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson is stepping in to replace Hughes, according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman. Sanderson is certainly not on the level of Hughes. In saying this, he is one of the best young blueliners in the league.
Sanderson brings a fine offensive touch to the American defense. He has five goals and 35 points to this point in the 2024-25 campaign. He may not be a Norris Trophy candidate like Hughes. But Sanderson can certainly help the Americans recover some of the skill lost with the absence of the Canucks star.
The 4 Nations Face-Off begins on February 12. Team USA begins its campaign with a crucial showdown against Finland on February 13. It will certainly be interesting to see how the Americans play without Hughes on the back end.
