Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson likely won’t play for the Canucks on Saturday

It’s not exactly the best news from the holidays for the Vancouver Canucks.

Speaking to the media on Friday, head coach Rick Tocchet announced that forward Elias Pettersson and captain Quinn Hughes are doubtful to play in the team’s first game after the holiday break, a clash on Saturday against the Seattle Kraken.

Tocchet stated that both players will be re-examined by the team’s medical staff on Friday before a final decision is made.

Pettersson was injured in the Canucks’ last game before halftime. In a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks, he was reportedly struck in the second period before leaving the game entirely after just one shift in the third period. Tocchet said, “I don’t think it’s that bad.”

There are no reports as to what exactly injured Hughes that could cause him to miss a game. The 25-year-old was crucial for the game against the Sharks due to an unspecified injury. He ended up logging 24:45 of ice time in the win and also recorded two assists.

Both players have been fairly healthy over the past two seasons. Both appeared in all of Vancouver’s 34 games this season, with both playing the entire 82-game schedule during the 2023-24 season, including all 13 of the team’s games on its way to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Pettersson played 80 games in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, while Hughes missed four games two years ago and played 76 games the season before that.

So far, Hughes leads the Canucks with 42 points, eight goals and 34 assists. He ranks second in the NHL in scoring among defensemen, behind only Colorado Avalanche star Cale Makar. Pettersson is second on the Vancouver roster behind Hughes with 10 goals and 18 assists (28 points).

The Canucks (17-10-7) hold the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference and are fourth in the Pacific Division, eight points behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights.