Canucks' Filip Hronek out approximately 8 weeks: What's the impact of his absence?

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek will be out of the lineup for approximately eight weeks, the club announced Tuesday.

General manager Patrik Allvin said in a release that Hronek underwent a procedure for a lower-body injury but will not require surgery for a separate upper-body injury.

General Manager Patrik Allvin provides an update on Filip Hronek: pic.twitter.com/qKvHAeQnRO Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) December 3, 2024 Hronek hasnt played for the Canucks since he appeared to get hurt at the end of Wednesday nights game against the Pittsburgh Penguins when he was hit awkwardly into the boards.

Looks like Hronek got injured on this play late in the third period last night.

: Sportsnet | NHL https://t.co/Nlc7dtFIiO pic.twitter.com/xSTqOxupIN CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) November 28, 2024 The Canucks were remarkably fortunate with injuries last season.

All seven of their top point producers suited up for at least 80 games.

Carson Soucy was the only notable defender who missed an extended run of games on the blue line.

That luck has turned against them in a hurry as the Canucks have been challenged with several key absences in 2024-25.

Advertisement Thatcher Demko has yet to make his season debut.

Dakota Joshua missed the teams first 14 games following an offseason testicular cancer diagnosis.

Brock Boeser was recently out for seven games because of a concussion.

J.T.

Miller was banged up through training camp and preseason and didnt appear to be at 100 percent health when he was in the lineup.

Hes missed the last six games while on leave from the club for personal reasons and theres no timeline for his return.

How will Hroneks injury impact the Canucks? Hroneks loss is a massive blow for a Canucks blue line that was already struggling beyond the top pair.

He has racked up 57 points in 102 games for Vancouver and most importantly, hes been the perfect stylistic fit for Quinn Hughes , who has reached a new superstar, Norris Trophy-winning level since Hroneks arrival.

Logging nearly 24 minutes per game, Hroneks offensive IQ, puck skills and passing add nitrous to Hughes ability to dominate possession and drive offense.

Hughes and Hronek are one of only four defense pairs in the NHL this season that are controlling more than 60 percent of the expected and actual goal share at five-on-five.

Who will play with Hughes? With Hronek out of the lineup, the Canuck have Hughes and five blueliners performing at a bottom-pair level.

Erik Brannstrom can play the right side and would be the closest stylistic match to replacing Hroneks mobility and offensive upside.

But would Tocchet feel comfortable stacking two 5-foot-10 defenders on the same pair considering the monstrous workload Hughes will be taking on? Hughes defends at a high level despite his undersized frame, but Brannstroms own zone play is still a major question mark despite the promising start to his Canucks tenure.

The bigger concern, however, might be whether the Canucks bottom four can afford to lose Brannstroms speed and puck-moving.

Is it wise for the club to stack its only two capable puck movers together or does Vancouver need those two to drive their own pairs? Advertisement Tyler Myers could also be elevated to that top pair role.

Hes mistake-prone and has struggled this year, but he unquestionably has the most experience eating big minutes.

Vincent Desharnais and Noah Juulsen are candidates to get spot duty next to Hughes as well.

Frankly, none of these options are particularly appealing.

The Canucks are either going to need to make an early trade like they did last season for Nikita Zadorov , or theyll need Myers and Soucy to bounce back to last years level to stabilize the blue line.

Required reading Should the Canucks trade for a defender with Filip Hronek out? 7 potential options Six ways the short-handed Canucks have held the fort on a crucial road trip (Photo: Bob Frid / Imagn Images).

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