Hughes Out Against Ducks with Lower-Body Injury, Canucks’ Playoff Hopes Dwindle

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes will not participate in Wednesday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks due to a lower-body injury sustained during a 6-3 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday. The reigning Norris Trophy winner is currently listed as day-to-day.

Hughes was forced to sit out the final 9:05 of the game in Seattle and missed practice the following day. After returning to practice briefly on Tuesday but leaving after just 15 minutes, he was also absent from the morning skate on Wednesday.

“He’ll get a bunch of treatment and we’ll go from there,” Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said. “I don’t know how many days but we’re going to shut him down tonight and see how he is tomorrow. Every day, it kind of changes.”

Despite being back in practice for a few minutes, Hughes’s injury could stem from compensatory stress after another oblique injury sidelined him for six games earlier this season.

“I don’t think he’ll ever be 100 percent sure this year,” Tocchet added. “It’s hard to be 100 percent at this time of the year.”

The 25-year-old defenseman leads the Canucks with 60 points this season, including 14 goals and 46 assists over 50 games. Hughes is also third among all NHL defensemen in points scored and averages over 25 minutes of ice time per game.

“Eighty percent Quinn, we’ll take on our team right now,” Tocchet said, caveating that Hughes hasn’t performed at his usual level in recent games. “He wasn’t himself last couple games, even defensively.”

The Canucks are battling for positioning in the Western Conference playoff race, and any prolonged absence for Hughes could hinder their hopes. Currently, they are competing with the St. Louis Blues and the Ducks, who just defeated the Edmonton Oilers 6-2 and are close behind in the standings.

“We don’t ever want to jeopardize this guy’s career,” Tocchet emphasized. “It’s something you’ve got to keep an eye on.”

The Canucks have struggled recently, having gone 1-4 on their previous five-game road trip and remaining ranked 31st in shots per game. They now face a crucial four-game homestand that will be pivotal to their playoff aspirations.

Recent game statistics illustrate the urgency, as the Canucks need 31 points to reach a tentative playoff target of 96 points, highlighting the importance of both Hughes’s health and the team’s performance moving forward.