The state of affairs involving Quinn Hughes and Crew USA could be very unclear because the Championship Recreation is lower than 48 hours away. On Tuesday morning, throughout his media availability, Head Coach Mike Sullivan casually stated that Quinn Hughes was coming when requested a couple of potential substitute for the injured Charlie McAvoy.
Nevertheless, the principles clearly said that regardless that Hughes might come to Boston, he couldn’t apply or play until Crew USA fell under 18 skaters. However he was initially named to the preliminary roster again in Vegas in June on the 2024 NHL Draft. Nevertheless, as a result of an harm suffered within the common season, Hughes missed the ultimate 4 video games for the Canucks and was changed by Jake Sanderson.
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It was a disappointing blow to the American blueline, nevertheless it appeared he was coming again for the large matchup with Canada on Thursday. Nevertheless, Quinn Hughes didn’t sound like a participant who was coming to Boston to assist out Crew USA on Thursday, as he met with the media after apply on Tuesday as NHL actions resumed.
“I believe the plan was to only see how my skate went right now,” Hughes advised the media in Vancouver. “I really feel like I felt fairly good. I imply, the principles are the principles. I can’t play until anybody else will get injured, and I clearly don’t wish to see anybody get injured. So, yeah, I believe that’s the place we’re at.”
Sullivan is taking the identical method concerning the participation of the reigning Norris Trophy winner with Crew USA.
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“Properly, proper now, we’re simply taking every day because it comes,” Sullivan added. “We’re gonna take it someday at a time. We’ll see what potential choices is perhaps accessible for us for the championship recreation, after which we’ll make selections accordingly.”
Whether or not he was fed unhealthy data or it was made unclear to him that Hughes was not able to play, the plot thickens heading into Thursday. The Canucks defenseman was noticed at apply again in Vancouver and was nonetheless carrying a crimson non-contact jersey.
Quinn Hughes motion video from #Canucks apply @CanucksArmy pic.twitter.com/gk3UmduxMZ
— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) February 18, 2025
So, it makes you ask two questions. One, why would Sullivan drop his title out of nowhere and so casually? And two, why would Quinn Hughes fly from his trip location to New Jersey, Vancouver, Boston, after which to Vegas to fulfill the Canucks, solely to not play? That’s quite a lot of miles for a participant who will not be taking part in.
“I assume we’ll simply see what occurs. I’ll be in contact with these guys and simply go from there,” Hughes continued with the Vancouver media. “I assume I might fly down there after which fly again, however we’ll simply see the place this goes.”
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It has been an extended course of for Hughes, who needed to play for Crew USA from the beginning. It was an extended and laborious resolution to not play for Crew USA. Quinn Hughes is grateful to GM Invoice Guerin for being so affected person with him by this whole course of.
“I gotta thank Invoice Guerin for a way affected person he was with me, not solely 10 days in the past however even final evening and the final 24 hours,” Hughes continued with the Vancouver media. “He understood how a lot I needed to play and in addition what my obligations have been to the Canucks. Actually, what it got here all the way down to, I simply wasn’t wholesome sufficient.”
The state of affairs stays fluid. No one is aware of what precisely is happening. There must be clarification on Monday morning. Nevertheless, there’s a report that Quinn Hughes is not going to fly to Boston if he is aware of he’s not going to play on Thursday.
Crew USA will presently have 12 forwards and 6 defensemen. Nevertheless, in the event that they lose one other participant upfront, might Quinn Hughes really play? Keep tuned to seek out out because the drama surrounding Crew USA continues.
