Vancouver Canucks Captain Quinn Hughes appears to be struggling with his injury once again. The star defenseman missed the last nine minutes of the third period on Saturday. His presence on and off the ice is clear as day in the team’s success. Unfortunately, the team gave up the lead and lost 6-3 to the Seattle Kraken.

Vancouver Canucks Struggling To Find A Win Now Down Defenseman

Following the disappointing loss, the head coach, Rick Tocchet, commented that Hughes had tweaked something. This is not a good sign for the team or fans; Hughes had just returned after battling an injury. The same injury that kept him out of the 4 Nations Tournament.

It happened on Saturday during the game against the Kraken. With nine minutes left in the third period, Hughes exited the ice and did not return. Despite the questions being asked, there are no answers to his abrupt leave. Hughes had logged 20 minutes of ice time before making his exit. For someone who had missed most of February, he logged 20 minutes with a recovering Oblique injury.

It is not yet known when Hughes re-injured himself during the game. During the second period, Hughes was hit by the Kraken Oliver Bjorkstrand, causing him to head down the tunnel. He did return to the lineup shortly thereafter. He was seen during breaks and stoppages stretching in an attempt to keep moving. Vancouver had rotated seven defenseman to lessen the workload off Hughes, however, they went back to six on Saturday.

Hughes Has Been Out Since February 1; Could His Return Be Too Soon?

Jan 31st, Hughes was ruled out of future games due to an injured Oblique. The defenseman had played in 47 games leading up to his absence. He had acquired 14 goals and 45 assists during his injury. Hughes missed the games leading up to the Four Nations, including missing out on playing in the tournament himself. He did not appear back in the Canucks lineup until Wednesday, Feb 26th.

Hughes had missed four games following the Christmas break due to a hand injury. He returned with a brace on his hand and performed at a higher level. The 25-year-old defenseman has been riddled with injuries this season, adding to the list for the Vancouver Canucks.

Canucks Future Playoff Run Looks Questionable With Or Without Injuries

The Vancouver Canucks are in the second wild card post at this time with 65 points. They have been battling over the spot with the Calgary Flames, who are one point behind. With the Canucks recent loss streaks, this could easily be a dream, and no reality for the team come playoffs. Their record this season is 27-22-11, with 60 games played. The team has won one and lost four games since their break.

The Canucks had played six games without Captain Hughes on the ice. Throughout his absence, the team lost and won three games. The team proved they could win without Hughes; however, after their two-week break, the team has struggled. The only game won since their season return was the first game Hughes was back in the lineup for. They beat the Kings 3-2 in overtime.

The Canucks have a healthy break between games. They will not retake the ice until Wednesday, March 5th, when they face the Ducks at home. The answer to whether or not Hughes will be healthy enough is unknown. He will go through further evaluation on Sunday, and hopefully, word will be released with a positive update.

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