NHL Buzz: Hughes game-time decision for Canucks against Red Wings

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Vancouver Canucks

Quinn Hughes did not practice on Saturday, and the Canucks' No. 1 defenseman will be a game-time decision against the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday (8 p.m. ET; SNP, TVAS (JIP), FDSNDET), according to coach Rick Tocchet.

Hughes finished a 5-3 loss at the Dallas Stars on Friday but played only one shift in the final 5:30 and appeared to be in discomfort on the bench late in the game. He did not take part in a practice in Dallas on Saturday morning before the team flew back to Vancouver.

"Quinn is getting some stuff done,” Tocchet said Sunday. "It's going to be a game-time (decision) with him."

Hughes, who will represent the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off (Feb. 12-20), won the Norris Trophy as the League’s top defenseman last season, and leads the Canucks and all NHL defensemen with 59 points (14 goals, 45 assists) in 47 games this season. The 25-year-old also leads Vancouver in ice time (25:18) and plus/minus (plus-15) and has 25 more points than the next leading scorer, forward Conor Garland (34 points).

Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said forward Kiefer Sherwood, who has missed four games with a lower-body injury, will also be a game-time decision against the Red Wings.

The general manager expects all four of the players acquired in separate trades with the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday -- forwards Filip Chytil and Drew O'Connor, and defensemen Marcus Pettersson and Victor Mancini-- will be available to play Sunday.

“The expectation is that all four of them are coming in here later tonight, and it's a coach’s decision who he wants to play [on Sunday],” Allvin said. -- Kevin Woodley

Detroit Red Wings

Patrick Kane could return to the lineup when the Red Wings visit the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.

Kane was activated off injured reserve earlier in the day after missing the past five games because of an upper-body injury.

"Kaner's getting close, yes," Detroit coach Todd McLellan said Saturday. "There's a chance he'll be in the lineup tomorrow, but this skate's important for his progress."

The forward, who last played in a 2-1 overtime loss at the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 21, has 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in 42 games this season.

"He's obviously one of our most skilled guys, controls the play a lot, really sets up our offense and our power play," Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat said. "When he's in the lineup he takes some load off other guys and when he has been out other guys have stepped up. The power play is still ticking a little bit. But he's definitely a bit piece of our team. We prefer him to be in the lineup for sure."

Detroit will remain without forward J.T. Compher for the foreseeable future. Compher has missed two games because of an upper-body injury and was placed on injured reserve Sunday.

He has 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) in 48 games this season.

"He's likely a little further down the road from what I've been told, but I'm just worried about the guys that can play," McLellan said. -- Aaron Vickers

New York Islanders

Forward Mathew Barzal and defenseman Scott Mayfield did not play for the Islanders against the Florida Panthers on Sunday.

Coach Patrick Roy said it was too early to have an update on the severity of the lower-body injury for either player, but more should be known Monday.

"Injuries are unfortunately a part of the game," Roy said. "... This team is finding ways to win and playing really good hockey. The focus has to be on the team and giving other guys the opportunity to take over. That’s all that matters. You can’t feel sorry for yourself, you just have to find ways to keep this thing going."

Barzal and Mayfield were injured in a 3-2 overtime win at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.

Mayfield was injured in the second period after being hit against the boards, and Barzal after blocking a shot from Nikita Kucherov. Each required assistance leaving the ice.

Barzal has 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) in 30 games this season. Mayfield has seven points (two goals, five assists) in 50 games.

San Jose Sharks

Goaltender Vitek Vanecek returned to practice for the first time after breaking his cheekbone on Dec. 17. The injury occurred while Vanecek served as the backup and was hit in the face with an errant puck against the Winnipeg Jets.

The goalie was activated off injured reserve on Jan. 29 and sent to San Jose of the American Hockey League for a conditioning assignment. On Jan. 31, Vanecek stopped 22 of 24 shots against Henderson during a 6-2 win.

"He got better as the game went on with the [Barracuda]," Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said. "It was nice for him to get some game action [and] get some bodies in front of him."

In his first season in San Jose, Vanecek is 3-8-1 with a 3.84 goals-against average and .885 save percentage.

San Jose sent goalie Yaroslav Askarov to the AHL in a corresponding move. Askarov will participate in the AHL All-Star weekend hosted by Coachella Valley on Feb. 2-3. -- Max Miller

Calgary Flames

Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee each made his debut with the Flames in a 3-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.

Frost and Farabee were acquired on Thursday in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers for forwards Andrei Kuzmenko and Jakob Pelletier, a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, and a seventh-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft.

"I think it's awesome," Farabee said. "Just for 'Frosty' and I it's a little bit of a fresh start for our careers. These guys are playing really well right now and in a great spot and hopefully we can add to that and help them keep it going."

Farabee, who has 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in 51 games, was the right wing on Calgary's top line with Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau. Frost, who has 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) in 50 games, was the center on a line with Yegor Sharangovich and Martin Pospisil.

"It's exciting for us both," Frost said. " Joel and I have been talking about it. In the moment, you're obviously sad to leave your teammates you've been with and group of guys. At the same time, I think both of us probably needed a fresh start anyway. In the hunt here. Hopefully we can come in and give the team a boost."

The Flames (25-19-7) are fourth in the Pacific Division and hold the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference, one point ahead of the Vancouver Canucks.

"You lose teammates, but you also recognize we're bringing in some guys that are going to make our team better," Calgary coach Ryan Huska said. "Players are smart. They know that. At the end of the day they're excited to have them and welcome them into our team." -- Aaron Vickers

New York Rangers

J.T. Miller scored two goals in his debut for the Rangers in a 6-3 loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday.

The forward was acquired in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks on Friday along with Erik Brannstrom and Jackson Dorrington for Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini and a first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Miller was the center on the Rangers' top line with Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin against the Bruins.

Miller has 35 points (nine goals, 26 assists) in 40 games this season, the third of a seven-year, $56 million contract ($8 million average annual value) he signed with the Canucks on Sept. 2, 2022.

"He is certainly one of the premier impact forwards in the NHL," Rangers general manager Chris Drury said Saturday. "He brings a unique combination of skill, size and physicality to our team. Not just helps us here in the short term, but will be a key part of our core moving forward.

"I think he's going to have a terrific impact not only on the ice but in our room. ... As you all know, he's a terrific 200-foot player, plays both sides of the puck, both special teams, physical element. High level of compete that we are excited to bring to our group."