LOS ANGELES — Quinn Hughes made a timely return for the Vancouver Canucks as they faced off against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night.
The standout defenseman provided the crucial primary assist for Conor Garland’s overtime goal, securing a 3-2 victory for the Canucks.
“He’s the leader in the room and on the ice. Obviously, a big, big boost for us when we saw he was playing,” Garland expressed.
Hughes, who was the recipient of last year’s Norris Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s top defenseman, had been absent for six games due to an unspecified injury. This injury also sidelined him from participating with the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.
Reflecting on his performance, Hughes remarked, “I can say I didn’t feel my best tonight, but I got through the game and hopefully can build off that.”
After being out since January 31, Hughes went through a thorough morning skate to test his readiness. While he suited up for pregame warmups, he didn’t initially participate in line rushes and remained on the ice after the buzzer.
Initially listed as inactive, Hughes managed to persuade Canucks coach Rick Tocchet of his ability to play. Eight minutes before the game began, he was moved to the active roster and became the last player to hit the ice, with the Canucks opting for seven defensemen.
“With 11 minutes left, we had a little bit of a talk and he persuaded me. He said he wanted to play and the doctors thought it was safe,” explained Tocchet.
Originally, the plan was for Hughes to clock 16 to 17 minutes of playtime. However, the game extended into overtime, pushing his total time on the ice to 21:38.
Hughes noted, “I think with the back-to-back games and coming off the injury, I have got to be a little bit careful. I think I just felt good enough in warmups where I felt like I could play smart and get through the game.”
Leading the Canucks in points with 60, Hughes also tops the NHL defensemen list with 46 assists. His return is pivotal for the Canucks as they are vying for a playoff berth. The victory propelled them one point ahead of Calgary for the Western Conference’s second wild card spot.
