Foote gives injury update on Hughes and two other banged-up Vancouver Canucks defencemen
The Vancouver Canucks were one of the healthiest teams in the NHL during the 2023-24 season.
Those fortunes changed last season, and rotten injury luck has followed Vancouver into the 2025-26 campaign.
“I can’t remember it being like this early,” Canucks head coach Adam Foote said when asked if he was surprised by the number of injuries the Canucks are facing.
The Canucks currently have seven regular roster players missing in action, including their captain.
Quinn Hughes was injured late in the third period during the Canucks 4-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. He missed Sunday’s 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers, and he also won’t play during J.T. Miller’s return to Rogers Arena as the Canucks face the New York Rangers.
Head coach Adam Foote said that Hughes is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. He said the club will re-evaluate Hughes tomorrow before the team travels to St. Louis.
Foote was also asked if this latest injury was related to any of the ailments that Hughes had last season.
“I don’t think so,” Foote replied.
Hughes tore ligaments in his hand last December, and he also tore an oblique muscle in late January, causing him to miss the 4 Nations tournament.
Last season, the Canucks went 6-6-2 without Hughes in the lineup.
The club also announced on Tuesday that Derek Forbort has been placed on long-term injured reserve. Foote later said that there is no timetable for his return.
Victor Mancini was also placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, but Foote said the club doesn’t expect him out for long.
Tom Willander will make his debut for the Canucks tonight. (Bob Frid/Imagn Images)
All of these injuries on the back end forced the Canucks to call up Tom Willander and Kirill Kudryavtsev yesterday.
For Willander, he’ll play his first NHL game tonight against the Rangers.
Willander skated on the third pairing, alongside Pierre-Olivier Joseph at the morning skate.
“[Willander] is a smart player,” Foote told reporters at Rogers Arena on Tuesday. “He’s got good skill, he’s got good feet. Just keep guys in front of you and extend your coverage and make hard plays.”
Willander was selected 11th overall by the Canucks at the 2023 NHL Draft. He has one goal and two points for the Abbotsford Canucks so far this season.
“It’s going to be fun,” Willander said when asked about making his debut.
“I hope to learn a lot. Going out here against good players, it’s going to be a good experience.”