Pettersson's Vancouver Canucks return imminent and Hronek's heading to Abbotsford
The Vancouver Canucks got some good news on the injury front today.
To start, Elias Pettersson is on the verge of returning to the lineup. He hasn’t played since before the holiday break on December 23, when he scored twice against the San Jose Sharks. He left that game early after getting “banged up,” according to head coach Rick Tocchet.
Pettersson is a game-time decision for tonight’s game against the Washington Capitals, per Sportsnet’s Dan Murphy. If it’s not tonight, then it’ll likely be Friday against the Carolina Hurricanes when he rejoins the team.
With 10 goals and 28 points in 34 games this season, Pettersson hasn’t been his usual superstar self this year. However, his last game against the Sharks had some positive signs, including a typical Pettersson wrist shot goal, that he may be finding his way.
The @Canucks pot two goals in 26 seconds and this place is LOUD š
šŗ: @SportsOnPrimeCA ā”ļø https://t.co/93veFI9jrZ pic.twitter.com/InQaLucpj5
— NHL (@NHL) December 24, 2024
He’s not the only big name making strides in their injury recovery. The Canucks assigned defenceman Filip Hronek to the AHL’s Abbotsford today for a conditioning stint. The right-handed blueliner hasn’t played since November 27 but was eating up more than 23 minutes per night before going down.
General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that D Filip Hronek has been assigned to Abbotsford (AHL) for conditioning.
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) January 8, 2025
The original timeline for Hronek’s recovery suggested he’d be at least until the end of January. It’s unclear in which game he’ll suit up for Abbotsford. They play their next game on January 10 and have 10 more contests before the end of the month.
The Canucks are on the road and don’t play at Rogers Arena until January 16, when the Los Angeles Kings visit town. It seems unlikely Hronek will be ready for that one, but this assignment is a positive step.
The Canucks have had to deal with a laundry list of injuries so far this season. There’s now light at the end of the tunnel for two of their top players to get back on the ice and help this group get closer to full strength.