- The 4 Nations Face-Off final goes on Thursday night in Boston with the United States and Canada meeting for the second time in the tournament.
- Team USA will be without defenseman Charlie McAvoy due to a shoulder injury.
- Defenseman Quinn Hughes also won’t make the trip to Boston.
The 4 Nations Face-Off tournament has been a real boost for hockey. Players from the United States, Canada, Sweden, and Finland have competed passionately, representing their country extremely well.
The United States is going into Thursday night’s final rematch against Canada shorthanded, as defenseman Charlie McAvoy can’t play. Team USA also can’t get arguably the best defenseman in the NHL to replace him.
McAvoy Out with Shoulder Injury, Recovering Hughes Won’t Travel to Boston
It was reported on Wednesday that Team USA defenseman Charlie McAvoy was still in the hospital, due to an infection in his shoulder, along with an AC joint injury. McAvoy is a big loss for the Americans, and it would have been special for him to play in the final in Boston, where he plays for the Bruins.
It was thought that he would be replaced by reigning Norris Trophy winner Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks.
However, it was revealed on Thursday morning that Hughes won’t join his brother, Jack, on the United States team.
Hughes was originally on Team USA, but he had an oblique injury. He hasn’t been medically cleared by the Canucks to join the team, as Hughes hasn’t played since January 31. The defenseman was only cleared to practice with contact for Wednesday’s practice. The NHL starts back up on Saturday, where the Canucks will play the Vegas Golden Knights on the road.
Hughes stated:
"I gotta thank (Team USA general manager) Bill Guerin for how patient he was with me, not only 10 days ago, but even last night and the last 24 hours. He understood how much I wanted to play and also what my obligations were to the Canucks. Really, what it came down to, I just wasn't healthy enough where I wasn't sure it couldn't get worse. If there's a positive, I should be healthy enough to go next game against Vegas."
What Does This Mean for the United States?
4 Nations Face-Off betting odds still have the Americans favored for Thursday’s rematch against the Canadians after winning the first game 3-1 last Saturday in Montreal. Team USA will go with either Buffalo forward Tage Thompson or New Jersey defenseman Brett Pesce to replace McAvoy.
However, Hughes would have been a considerable boost for the Americans. He is coming off his first Norris Trophy and is currently third among all defensemen in points with 59, on 14 goals and 45 assists.
The Americans will also miss McAvoy, who laid out Canada star Connor McDavid in the first meeting between the two with arguably the hit of the tournament. Team USA will miss his physicality in the defensive end against a Canadian team with revenge on their minds.
Either way, it’s shaping up to be a classic game on Thursday night. After the first game yielded three fights in the first nine seconds, the hockey world is excited to see what fireworks are on tap for the final!
