For the first time ever, at least since they both made their debuts for the franchise, the Vancouver Canucks played a regular season game without their captain, Quinn Hughes, and star center Elias Pettersson; the last such game for the Canucks was on March 26, 2019, before Hughes made his NHL debut, per Sportsnet Stats.
Both Hughes and Pettersson are dealing with undisclosed injuries - ones neither head coach Rick Tocchet nor anyone in the Canucks organization was apparently willing to put an official timeline on. Hughes was a game-time decision ahead of Monday's 4-3 overtime win against the San Jose Sharks, but ended up handling his regular workload before heading into the holiday break. The fact that he played through it and is now in line to miss one or more games may be slightly concerning.
It’s been over 5 years since #Canucks played a regular season game when Elias Pettersson & Quinn Hughes weren’t in the lineup at the same time
— Joey Kenward (@kenwardskorner) December 28, 2024
The last time @Canucks hit the ice without both #40 & #43?
Mar.26/19 (2 days before Hughes made his #NHL debut)@Sportsnet650@SNstats pic.twitter.com/P6liGEpgZX
As for Pettersson, the 25-year-old Swede went into Monday's game against the Sharks with a clean bill of health, but was forced to exit due to injury after scoring a brace that snapped a six-game pointless streak.
On Sportsnet's latest "Saturday Headlines" segment, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman provided some context and insight into the budding Canucks injury crisis. Fortunately, it looks as though Elliotte had only good news to share at this moment in time.
"Pettersson and Hughes did not play today and no timeline was provided by the Canucks or Rick Tocchet, but the Vancouver fans are obviously very concerned," Friedman said of the superstar Canucks duo. "From what we're hearing, the injuries are not considered serious. They're not considered long-term injuries. Don't want to give an exact timeline, because I'm not sure, but, hopefully, that's some good news for fans in Vancouver on a very hard day. The injuries are not considered serious."
Hughes, the reigning Norris Trophy winner, played all 82 regular season games last season, as well as all 13 postseason contests for the Canucks. Pettersson has played no fewer than 80 regular season games in each of the last three seasons, including all 82 last season. The Canucks don't really know what it means to be without them, so it would be an encouraging stroke of fortune to see them suit back up again in the near future after missing Saturday's 5-4 overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken.