Quinn Hughes could return from a lower-body injury at the Calgary Flames on Wednesday (9 p.m. ET; SN).
The Canucks captain and top defenseman has missed the past four games, including a 4-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. Hughes participated in the morning skate in a noncontact jersey for the first time since sustaining the injury March 1.
Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet said after the loss that Hughes would travel to Calgary and could play against the Flames.
"Yeah, he's coming," Tocchet said. "There's a good chance he'll be in."
The reigning Norris Trophy winner as the League's top defenseman, Hughes had skated on his own since sustaining his latest injury, during a 6-3 loss at the Seattle Kraken, but Tuesday was his first time on the ice with the full team.
Tocchet said he'd normally like to get Hughes into a practice before returning but said with two sets of back-to-back games this week, that may not be possible.
"It's a hard one this time of year," Tocchet said Tuesday morning. "If it's November/December, you'd like a guy to get a practice or two, but things change sometimes. This many games left (18), you've got to change a few protocols. But obviously the safety of him is obviously No. 1."
Hughes missed six games and was out more than three weeks because of an oblique injury before and after the 4 Nations Face-Off last month, which he was forced to miss. The game in Seattle was his third back, and Tocchet has said the latest injury was in part a result of compensating for the first one.
The 25-year-old has 60 points (14 goals, 46 assists) in 50 games, which still leads Vancouver by 21 points and is third among NHL defensemen. Hughes is eighth in the NHL in time on ice per game (25:07).Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
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