Jeff Paterson of Canucks Army revealed on Sunday that neither Elias Pettersson or Quinn Hughes will make the road trip with the upcoming Vancouver Canucks. Following a report from Elliotte Friedman on Saturday that neither player’s injuries were considered serious, the news now is that Hughes is week to week, and Pettersson is likely out a week.
While it could be worse, the updated injury news is not good for the Canucks. This will pose a significant challenge as Pettersson and Hughes will miss games versus Calgary and Seattle. Both are key contributors to the team’s on-ice success.
With Pettersson expected to be sidelined for approximately a week, that takes out a huge piece of the Canucks’ offense. Hughes’ recovery timeline is listed as ‘week to week,’ raising concerns about his availability. He’s both the team leader and the best player.
Did Playing Hughes Versus San Jose Make Things Worse?
Head coach Rick Tocchet was asked about his decision to play Hughes against the San Jose Sharks on December 23 despite being listed as questionable. Tocchet said what Hughes has wasn’t going to be made worse by playing. He also noted that Hughes was key to their win against the Sharks and that players want to play. “I don’t think him playing would have made any difference,” Tocchet said.
Hughes has played through injuries in the past. His ability to stay on the ice has made him one of the more durable players on the team. That said, this current news that he’ll be out for what could amount to weeks raises questions about how the team is managing his workload.
These injuries come at a difficult time for the Canucks, who have been surrounded by drama the last several weeks, and their 3-3-4 record in their last 10 games isn’t doing them any favors.
The absence of Pettersson and Hughes, two of the team’s most impactful players, adds more pressure to a Canucks team that didn’t need it.
