NHL Buzz: Hughes, Pettersson out for Canucks against Kraken

Vancouver Canucks

Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson didn’t play for the Canucks towards the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.

Hughes, who received the Norris Trophy because the League’s prime defenseman final season, leads the Canucks in scoring and is second amongst NHL defensemen with 42 factors (eight targets, 34 assists) in 34 video games this season. He was listed as questionable for Vancouver’s final recreation, a 4-3 win towards the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 23, with an undisclosed damage however performed 24:45 and completed with two assists.

“Clearly, Hughes is one in all a form, proper?” coach Rick Tocchet mentioned Saturday. “… You are not going to switch the man, however as a bunch I might prefer to see us play some stable ‘D,’ particularly with out the puck.”

Pettersson scored twice late within the second interval towards the Sharks, ending a six-game level drought, however solely performed one shift within the third. Tocchet mentioned after the sport he was “banged up” however didn’t “suppose it’s too dangerous.”

Pettersson, Vancouver’s No. 1 heart, is second on the workforce with 28 factors (10 targets, 18 assists) in 34 video games.

“It is maintain the fort, subsequent man mentality, that’s the way in which we’ve got to suppose,” Tocchet mentioned Friday. “Proper now greater than ever, and I do know we have talked about it, it’s our staples. We’ve got to play as a workforce, and we want 5 p.c extra from all people. That’s actually what it comes all the way down to.”

The sport towards San Jose was Hughes’ 399th within the NHL. He has 51 targets and 324 assists, the third-most in NHL historical past amongst defensemen previous to taking part in 400 video games. Solely Bobby Orr (358) and Paul Coffey (326) had extra.

Defenseman Erik Brannstrom, who had been a wholesome scratch the earlier three video games, entered the lineup towards the Kraken for Hughes.

“You are not going to switch Quinn Hughes, and I do not want him making an attempt to do issues that press the envelope,” Tocchet mentioned Friday. “He is simply obtained to play a easy recreation, to be sincere. Return for a puck, when you see the man, give it to him, if there’s an opportunity to affix the remainder, be part of it, strolling the blue line, a man like him, I would like him to shoot the puck, he would not need to attempt to create an excessive amount of on the blue line.”