Canucks' Pettersson a week away, Hughes week-to-week

VANCOUVER — With the National Hockey League starting a six-week sprint to the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February, the Vancouver Canucks will run into 2025 without two of their best players.

Captain Quinn Hughes, the superstar defenceman who won the Norris Trophy last season, and key centre Elias Pettersson will not accompany the Canucks on a two-game road trip that opens New Year’s Eve in Calgary, coach Rick Tocchet announced Sunday.

“They're not going to make the trip,” Tocchet told reporters after the Canucks practised at Rogers Arena. “Petey is probably a week away, give or take a day here or there. And Quinn's probably week to week.”

Neither player was available for Saturday’s disintegration by the Canucks in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken, as Vancouver became only the third team in NHL history to lose a game by blowing a three-goal lead in the final five minutes of regulation time.

It was the first time the Canucks have played without both Hughes and Pettersson since the defenceman joined the organization at age 19 at the end of the 2018-19 season.

But their injuries, which are not considered serious according to Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman, typify what has been a tumultuous, challenge-filled first half of the season for Vancouver.

Starting goalie Thatcher Demko, last season’s Vezina Trophy runner-up, missed the Canucks’ first 25 games due to a troublesome knee injury, and after six starts is still trying to find his elite form. A 40-goal scorer last season, Brock Boeser missed seven games with a concussion, while 103-point scorer J.T. Miller missed 10 games on a personal leave of absence and, like Demko, is still working his way back.

No. 2 defenceman Filip Hronek has missed 14 games with a suspected shoulder injury and could be out another month. During their breakthrough 109-point season a year ago, the Canucks did not have a core player miss a game until Demko was injured in March.

Hughes’ injury is believed to be to his hand or wrist, and Pettersson’s to his upper body.

Both players were in the lineup for the Canucks’ final pre-Christmas game, a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks on Monday, although Hughes was a game-time decision for Tocchet in that one.

“He couldn't have hurt what he has. . . anymore,” Tocchet said of Hughes’ participation against the Sharks. “He's just a tough kid. He won us the game with a couple assists. I don't think him playing, I don't know, I don't think it would have made a difference (to his injury). But, you know, we're all hockey players where you want to play.”

The Canucks recalled minor-league defenceman Guillaume Brisebois for Saturday’s game but did not dress him against the Kraken. Vancouver has used 28 different skaters through 35 games.

Vancouver winger Jake DeBrusk called the three-goal collapse devastating. The Canucks are 3-8 in games that have been decided after regulation time, and still haven’t won consecutive home games this season.

“We’ve got to play a tough Calgary game,” Tocchet said. “There's no crying (over) your spilt milk right now. You know, there's mistakes being made; let's not make them again. That's really what it comes down to. Eliminate those mistakes.”

Hughes’ brilliance, Kevin Lankinen’s fill-in goaltending and significant contributions from the team’s bottom-six forwards allowed the Canucks to tread water in the standings despite the absences and struggles of their top players.

The team is 17-10-8, still holding a wild-card spot in the Western Conference standings.

Through 55 minutes Saturday, the Canucks were in a position against Seattle to make a strong statement about their ability to play without Hughes and Pettersson. Now, they have to prove they can collect wins and points without them.

After games in Calgary and Seattle, the Canucks play one home game against the Nashville Predators on Friday — it will be Vancouver’s third game in four nights — before leaving on a difficult five-city excursion.