“He appeared nice. He at all times appears to be like nice.”

That was Quinn Hughes on Monday, talking about Filip Hronek, who returned to observe with the Vancouver Canucks for the primary time since he injured his shoulder on the finish of a recreation in opposition to the Pittsburgh Penguins on November 27.

Hughes had an enormous smile on his face as quickly as he was requested about Hronek and it was clear that he was eagerly anticipating enjoying along with his defence accomplice once more, even when he wasn’t positive when precisely that will be.

“I do not know what his plan is tomorrow however I am positive he’ll be again within the subsequent couple of days,” mentioned Hughes. “We, clearly, desperately want him.”

He is not improper. The Canucks have received simply eight of the 21 video games Hronek has been out, with an 8-6-7 file. It is a stretch that has seen the Canucks fall beneath the playoff bar within the Western Convention and has shone a highlight on the defence corps’ struggles to maneuver the puck other than Hughes.

In response to head coach Rick Tocchet, Hronek will probably be again within the lineup for the Canucks on Tuesday as they face the Winnipeg Jets.

“I feel he’ll go tonight,” mentioned Tocchet. “He is labored actually laborious, he is had plenty of skates and examined himself very laborious the final seven days. So, he is able to go. He needs to play, so I am not going to maintain him out.”

Tocchet mentioned that Hronek would go proper again on the highest pairing with Hughes however would “handle [his] minutes” to ensure he would not get overextended and overworked after a lot day off.

It wasn’t as a lot day off as anticipated, although. The Canucks introduced on December 3 that Hronek could be out for eight weeks whereas recovering from his upper-body harm and a surgical process on a lower-body problem. That was precisely six weeks in the past, so Hronek is 2 weeks forward of schedule.

One has to hope that the Canucks and Hronek usually are not dashing again to play too rapidly. After all, it is also potential that the Canucks’ preliminary timeline was a conservative one.

Hronek’s return ought to present an emotional enhance to the Canucks, as evidenced by Hughes’ huge smile on Monday, however he additionally makes an enormous distinction on the ice. 

“What he can do with the puck, the best way him and Huggy play collectively, it is elite standing, the best way they play,” mentioned Tocchet. “He is a jack of all trades. He is actually enthusiastic about enjoying and we’re excited to have him.”

This would be the first time this season that every one of Hughes, Hronek, Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller, and Thatcher Demko have been within the lineup collectively, although it additionally is not, as Demko will probably be on the bench because the backup to Kevin Lankinen. It illustrates simply how powerful the primary half of the season has been for the Canucks.

“There actually has been plenty of adversity this 12 months,” mentioned Hughes. “So, I feel for everybody to type of keep on the yellow brick highway right here and proceed to concentrate on what we are able to management and do what we have to do, it has been an excellent signal.”

Vancouver Canucks projected strains

Hronek’s return means Guillaume Brisebois comes out of the lineup, whereas additionally bumping Tyler Myers right down to the second pair. Vincent Desharnais will once more be a wholesome cratc, with Noah Juulsen enjoying on the third pair with Carson Soucy.

Listed here are the Canucks’ projected strains, which will probably be up to date after they take the ice for warmup:

After Saturday’s shutout win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Canucks will presumably hold their ahead strains the identical. The staff was in a position to roll all 4 strains on Saturday, splitting ice time pretty evenly and Tocchet appeared proud of everybody’s efficiency of their roles.

The Canucks’ beginning goaltender will probably be Kevin Lankinen, which suggests they’re using the recent hand by giving Lankinen a second straight begin as an alternative of going again to Demko.

Lankinen has been the higher of the 2 goaltenders this season as Demko has but to completely discover his rhythm after coming back from harm. Lankinen has a .906 save share to Demko’s .883.

Winnipeg Jets projected strains

The Jets have been top-of-the-line groups within the NHL this season and are presently tied with the Vegas Golden Knights and Washington Capitals for high spot within the NHL with 61 factors. They boast the league’s finest purpose differential at plus-48 aided by the league’s finest energy play, which is clicking alongside at a surprising 32.3%, difficult the 2022-23 Edmonton Oilers’ 32.4% for the very best energy play share in NHL historical past.

The Jets’ offence is powered by three forwards scoring at higher than a point-per-game tempo. Kyle Connor leads the best way with 23 targets and 55 factors in 44 video games, Mark Scheifele is third within the NHL in goalscoring with 25 targets and 50 factors in 44 video games, and Nikolaj Ehlers has been nice when wholesome with 14 targets and 36 factors in 35 video games.

In the meantime, Josh Morrissey is third on the staff in scoring with 39 factors in 44 video games, good for fourth in scoring amongst NHL defencemen.

Listed here are the Jets’ projected strains, courtesy of color commentator Mitchell Clinton:

Kyle Connor – Mark Scheifele – Gabriel Vilardi
Nikolaj Ehlers – Adam Lowry – Alex Iafallo
Nino Niederreiter – Rasmus Kupari – Cole Perfetti
Dominic Toninato – David Gustafsson – Morgan Barron

Josh Morrissey – Dylan DeMelo
Dylan Samberg – Neal Pionk
Logan Stanley – Ville Heinola

Connor Hellebuyck
Eric Comrie

Whereas Connor, Scheifele, and Ehlers cleared the path, the Jets’ secondary scoring should not be discounted. Gabriel Vilardi, Adam Lowry, and Nino Niederreiter are all within the double digits in targets, with Vilardi particularly harmful on the ability play: he leads the Jets’ with 10 energy play targets this season. 

The Jets’ beginning goaltender is predicted to be Connor Hellebuyck, who was simply named the NHL’s first star of the week after a dominant efficiency in his final two video games. He leads the NHL in save share at .928 and has a 26-6-2 file with six shutouts.

The Canucks might want to discover a method to get extra pucks on internet to make Hellebuyck’s life a little bit tougher within the Jets’ internet. He is solely confronted 30+ pictures as soon as in his final eight begins.