According to a report from TSN NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes will not be traveling to Boston to meet Team USA ahead of Thursday's 4 Nations Face-Off final against Canada due to his medical status, and Team USA has been notified of this.
LeBrun adds that Team USA has started the process of exploring other options aside from Hughes due to an illness going around the team.
Team USA has been informed Quinn Hughes is not travelling here to Boston to join the team. Wasn’t medically cleared.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) February 19, 2025
Sounds like Team USA looking at bringing in a couple of other players just as insurance, because of illness going around.
Recall that Hughes, 25, joined the Canucks for their practice Tuesday but only participated in a red non-contact jersey. Reports indicate that Hughes practiced in a normal jersey Wednesday, but the Canucks captain won't be joining his countrymen to potentially face Canada and his Canucks head coach, Rick Tocchet.
Some other injury options on defence for the U.S. might include players like Montreal's Lane Hutson, Winnipeg's Neal Pionk, New Jersey's Luke Hughes, Washington's Jakob Chychrun, Chicago's Alex Vlasic, Tampa Bay's Ryan McDonagh, and Boston's Mason Lohrei.
Team USA GM Bill Guerin tells me they’re still working through the Quinn Hughes situation and are still trying to bring him to Boston. He’ll skate again with the Canucks today
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) February 19, 2025
Michael Russo of The Athletic had previously reported that USA GM Bill Guerin was continuing to work to bring Hughes to Boston on Wednesday morning, and added that most USA players he had spoken to anticipated Hughes joining the team in Boston, in the lineup or not.
For what it’s worth, a number of USA players I talked to seem to think Quinn Hughes is coming tonight and wants to come even if he can’t play. Again, the NHL says it is not going to amend rule - he can’t play unless USA is below 6 D
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) February 19, 2025
The issue now, of course, is that Hughes has not been medically cleared to join the team regardless, even though he has had the whole tournament off, practiced Tuesday, and practiced Wednesday. The Canucks have been steadfast in their commitment to supporting Hughes and his decisions, so it is unlikely the organization is stepping in his way for the 4 Nations, especially with Tocchet on the other side.