Brady Tkachuk throws bizarre stray at Vancouver Canucks
Team USA star Brady Tkachuk wasn’t a huge fan of how the Vancouver Canucks organization treated their captain during the recent 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.
Quinn Hughes pulled out of the 4 Nations at the last second with an injury. It was a very difficult decision, but he ultimately decided he couldn’t go as he had missed the four games leading up to the event and still hadn’t fully recovered.
The tournament then captured the hearts of the hockey world and was a smashing success. Hughes was given time to heal and as the final between the United States and Canada was approaching, the Americans were potentially in need of another defenceman.
What happened next was a very confusing situation. At first, Hughes was seemingly set to play, but then he was going to travel to the final but not play. Finally, he was completely ruled out from travelling to or playing in the final.
The entire saga confused many. It seems as if the Canucks organization stepped in and told Hughes he couldn’t go and risk furthering his injury.
“I actually FaceTimed Quinn kind of when he was figuring it out, when people were like ‘Quinn might come, Quinn might not come.’ I think he was all about coming, but I just don’t think he got cleared by Vancouver to play,” explained Tkachuk on a recent episode of Spittin’ Chiclets before throwing a shot at the Canucks.
“Little shady business to begin with; we all know who they were cheering for.”
Hughes missed the first two games back for the Canucks so it’s clear he was far from 100 per cent. He’s a game-time decision for the team’s game tonight against the Los Angeles Kings. While there’s no doubt he wanted to play in that final, the fact he hasn’t jumped right back into the NHL schedule shows it might’ve been a wise decision to sit out.
The Canadians ended up winning 3-2 in overtime on an incredible shot by Connor McDavid. It was the slimmest of margins. The entire tournament was a smashing success and has fans and players alike excited for the 2026 Olympics next winter.
“We were one shot away and still didn’t have one of the best defencemen in the NHL, if not the best with Quinn,” continued Tkachuk. “It creates a lot of excitement for next year.”
While Hughes didn’t get to play at the 4 Nations Face-Off, he’ll surely be a lock for next year’s Olympics as long as he’s healthy. That tournament is something all hockey fans are looking forward to after the exciting return of best-on-best action.