The 4 Nations Face-Off championship game pits Team USA and Team Canada against each other in what should be a classic. But the Americans are dealing with some injuries heading into Thursday's game. With Charlie McAvoy unavailable for the game due to an upper-body injury, they may need a new defenseman. Quinn Hughes would go to Boston for the 4 Nations title game if he is needed. He spoke with The Athletic's Thomas Drance about whether he is headed to Boston.
“‘I really want to,' says Quinn Hughes when asked if he’ll head East to play for USA. ‘They still have their six D, so that changes my situation a little bit.' Says the 4Nations has been great to watch, but hard for him to watch. ‘I’m proud of those guys,' he says.”
Hughes was named to Team USA before the 4 Nations Face-Off as one of their seven defensemen. He suffered a lower-body injury in a January game against the Dallas Stars. Shortly after that, the Canucks announced that Hughes wouldn't play in the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Hughes cannot play for the Americans unless another defenseman gets hurt before Thursday's game. If not, Jake Sanderson will slide in for the biggest American hockey game in 15 years.
The Canucks need Quinn Hughes more than Team USA in 4 Nations
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The Canucks are hanging onto the final Western Conference playoff spot as the international break ends. Without Hughes on their blue line, they cannot keep the puck out of their own net. He is the defending Norris Trophy winner and could win again if he plays enough games.
Team USA went 2-1 in the round-robin at the 4 Nations Face-Off and the only loss came after they clinched a spot in the final. Their defense has been amazing, specifically Zach Werenski and Jaccob Slavin. McAvoy laid two big hits on Connor McDavid and even Sanderson was solid against Sweden.
Without Hughes, the Canucks have no chance of making the NHL playoffs. Team USA, however, still has a great chance of winning the 4 Nations Face-Off title game. The odds are heavily against Hughes playing but anything can happen in practice.
Team Canada massaged the rules around players joining the team ahead of the USA game. With Shea Theodore out, they tried to get Thomas Harley in to be their seventh defenseman. But the NHL would not let Harley practice unless Cale Makar was too sick to practice. That is the precedent that Team USA has to live by with Hughes and their current defensive situation.
