On Wednesday, the Vancouver Canucks announced that defenceman Filip Hronek will be out for approximately eight weeks. In a statement, the Canucks wrote that Hronek underwent a procedure for his lower-body injury and will not need surgery on his current upper-body injury. No specifics were given regarding what each injury was, only a timeline which has Hronek returning in mid-February. Hronek was injured late against the Pittsburgh Penguins and has already missed games against the Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings.
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The long-term loss of Hronek is a massive blow to Vancouver’s lineup. This season, the 27-year-old has averaged 23:36 of ice time and has been a key part of the penalty kill. Hronek also currently sits second on the team in points by a defenceman, with nine through his first 21 games of the season.
Losing Hronek also means the Canucks will need to find a new partner for Quinn Hughes. Hronek and Hughes have been one of the best duos in the entire NHL this season, outscoring the opposition 18-9 in their over 300 minutes together. Since being acquired by Vancouver in 2023, Hronek and Hughes have played 1259:31 minutes together at even strength and have an 81-54 goal advantage during that time.
Based on the timetable presented, the most likely return for Hronek would be February 22nd, when the Canucks face the Vegas Golden Knights in Las Vegas. This would be after the NHL takes a two-week break for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Ultimately, Vancouver will need their entire defensive group to step up as they try to overcome this massive loss to their lineup.
