As Team USA prepares to enter the 4 Nations Face-Off final to compete with Canada, the talk of the day is the no-show of Quinn Hughes. Meant to head to Boston to fill the vacant berth due to injury, the captain of the Vancouver Canucks will not be representing Team USA at the title game.

Hughes’ situation was also filled with mystery, last-minute rosters, and travel unknowns, with everybody speculating on why he would not play, the effect of travel restrictions on the choice, and Team USA’s roster adjustments. Concurrently, the American team’s squad was also being shuffled by injuries and illness that forced the staff to make impromptu replacements.

Here’s everything that is known about Quinn Hughes’ status: the cancellation of his travel schedule, Team USA’s final team, and the adjustments made ahead of the encounter with Canada.

Hughes was also a potential late call-up due to Charlie McAvoy being unavailable with a shoulder injury. His eligibility was pending another injury occurring because the tournament was making replacements due to a team falling to less than six healthy defensemen. Despite the uncertainty, Hughes had prepared to go cross-country to Boston to serve with Team USA if called upon. His travel was eventually canceled at the last minute upon Team USA’s confirmation that all the defensemen were healthy and that he was no longer qualified to compete.

The Canucks were also a part of the decision because Quinn Hughes had not received medical clearance from the team. He had regained the status of a regular practice player, but the team prioritized his overall well-being to avoid sending him overseas, even if only as a spare player. Hughes expressed regret that he could not compete because he had hoped to represent Team USA. Despite the loss, he is proud of his teammates and is confident that they will find a way to do the work without him.

Hughes’ potential visit to the Hub was a component of Team USA’s last-minute crisis plan. His flight was booked to serve if another defenseman was declared out due to sickness, with US officials unsure of the status of a number of their athletes.

However, with no other injuries confirmed, Quinn Hughes’ flight was canceled mere hours before he left Vancouver. The logistical inconvenience of shipping a player across the country with no guarantee of getting into a contest also contributed to the decision-making process because Hughes would have had to travel well over 2,500 miles to provide a warm body off the end of the bench.

Adding to the mix was the circumstance that the Canucks were going on a five-game road trip, meaning that Hughes would have had to accommodate increased travel needs upon his return. In light of all of this, the decision was made to have him remain at home rather than send him off on a harrowing, indefinite journey to Boston.

Team USA’s roster adjustments for the final other than Quinn Hughes

With McAvoy out of commission and Hughes unable to join due to a lack of medical clearance from the Canucks, Team USA had to have the necessary depth, as several of their players were battling illness going into the final.

As a precautionary measure, Team USA invited New Jersey Devils defenseman Brett Pesce and Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson to Boston as potential emergency replacements. Under tournament rules, they can only be activated if Team USA falls below the required number of healthy skaters. As of now, neither has been officially added to the lineup.

This rule is a reflection of the earlier change made by Canada with the inclusion of defenseman Thomas Harley following the injury to Shea Theodore. Team USA’s staff wanted to have a precautionary measure ready to go to have a spare player at hand if necessary prior to puck drop. Meanwhile, Team Canada has also made a roster adjustment, replacing Travis Konecny with Seth Jarvis ahead of the final.

Meanwhile, Brady Tkachuk, who is back out of the USA’s latest game due to illness, is healthy enough to play again. With the inclusion of Tkachuk back into the team’s lineup, Team USA will presumably compete at full strength unless something else breaks down.

Expected Team USA Roster for the Championship Game
Forwards:
Kyle Connor–Jack Eichel–Matthew Tkachuk
Jake Guentzel–Auston Matthews–Jack Hughes
Brady Tkachuk–JT Miller–Matt Boldy
Brock Nelson–Vincent Trocheck–Dylan Larkin

Defense:
Jaccob Slavin–Brock Faber
Zach Werenski–Jake Sanderson
Noah Hanifin–Adam Fox

Goaltenders:
Connor Hellebuyck (Starter)
Jake Oettinger

Power Play Units:
Chris Kreider, Jake Guentzel, Kyle Connor, Jack Eichel, and Zach Werenski
Brady Tkachuk, Dylan Larkin, Matt Boldy, Jack Hughes, and Adam Fox

Penalty Kill Units:
Vincent Trocheck, JT Miller, Jaccob Slavin, and Brock Faber
Dylan Larkin, Brock Nelson, Noah Hanifin, and Jake Sanderson

With no last-minute scratches, Team USA will likely ice their best possible team, with McAvoy out of the mix and Hughes potentially included.

While Quinn Hughes will not wear the USA jersey, Team USA made major adjustments to their roster to prepare for possible adjustments prior to the final. His travel was canceled at the last moment, with the team at its best strength and his NHL team prioritizing his recovery instead. Meanwhile, Team USA had to deal with injuries, sicknesses, and final-minute roster adjustments of their own to make their road to the title all the more unpredictable. With Pesce and Thompson’s insurance on hand, the Americans have contingency measures in hand, although their regular starters have been established. USA vs. Canada is the fiercest international rivalry, and even without Hughes, this final promises to be a spectacle. Now, all that remains is to see who takes the title.