Quinn Hughes was expected to be in the middle of the 4 Nations Face-Off, playing for Team USA as he is, indeed, a star. But an unknown injury disrupted such plans and, he was benched for the final four games that the Canucks played before the break in the NHL. It appeared that he would make the tournament squad but withdrew at the last moment, leaving fans wondering if they’d see him on the international stage at all.

Fast forward, and now Team USA is facing the same issue as they lost some of their main players to injury before the finals. And then the question arises as to whether Quinn Hughes is capable of a return for a surprise? But first, before everything is finalized, he’s got some thoughts to share about whether he’ll be suiting up for that championship showdown.

Thomas Drance, the go-to guy for all things Canucks over at The Athletic, hopped on X on February 20 to drop some insight straight from Quinn Hughes himself. And let’s just say, Hughes isn’t hiding how badly he wants in on the action.

“I really want to,” he admitted when asked about suiting up for Team USA. But there’s a catch—“They still have their six D, so that changes my situation a little bit.” Watching from the sidelines hasn’t been easy either. “The 4 Nations has been great to watch, but hard for me to watch. I’m proud of those guys,” he added. No doubt, Hughes is itching to hit the ice, but for now, he’s cheering on his squad from a distance!

Moreover, according to NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, Hughes isn’t exactly packing his bags just yet. “Just like Harley and Canada, Quinn Hughes is not ‘in’ unless someone else is definitely ‘out’ due to injury or illness. Can’t practice with the team or play until that happens,” Daly clarified. So, for now, it’s a waiting game—Hughes is on the edge of his seat, just like the rest of us, ready to jump in if the call comes!

But how did Quinn Hughes’ name even get thrown into the mix? Well, just yesterday, Jake Sanderson was called up to play the position of Charlie McAvoy as Team USA played against Sweden. Initially, fans thought that McAvoy was only taking a day off like Auston Matthews. But it’s not–turns out, it’s way more serious than anyone thought. A report from The Boston Globe left the world of hockey stunned, stating that McAvoy is in the hospital.

Bruins insider Jim McBride cited “two sources familiar with the situation,” confirming that things aren’t looking great for the star defenseman. It was only natural that the speculation began—could Quinn Hughes fill in? Well, before anyone gets too excited, don’t forget that Team USA’s head coach, Mike Sullivan, has already chimed in. Canada may have pulled some strings to get Thomas Harley in the game, but will the U.S. do the same? Sullivan has an answer to that!

Will Quinn Hughes make it to the roster?

In a rare move that had everyone talking, Team Canada was able to persuade both the NHL and the NHLPA to allow them to make a substitution at the last minute. In comes Thomas Harley who arrived in Montreal when Shea Theodore got injured and another defenseman got sick. But now, Team USA is in the same boat—main players injured, a position in the finals guaranteed, and a team that is looking a bit too shallow for their liking.

After sealing their ticket to the championship, Team USA took a cautious approach in their 2-1 loss to Sweden, resting stars like Matthew Tkachuk, captain Auston Matthews, and Charlie McAvoy. However, things got even uglier as Brady Tkachuk added to the team’s injury woes. Naturally, the big question on everyone’s mind? Will Mike Sullivan be able to perform Canada’s trick and bring in other players into the roster?

Turns out, Sullivan’s not sold on that play just yet. “Not really, you know where we’re hopeful. We’re going to get some of these guys back. So you know I would anticipate we would. We’ll have to wait and see how things play out here over the next day or so,” he explained, keeping things optimistic. Moreover, Vincent Trocheck got injured during Monday night’s match against Sweden and had to leave the ice for some time before returning to the game. Rangers fans may have waited for a second time, but there is no need to worry.

As cited by The New York Post, Trocheck himself cleared the air by stating that he is ‘alright’. Therefore, it seems that he will be in the lineup for the 4 Nations Face-Off final against Canada on Thursday. That being said, Sullivan is not just crossing his fingers and praying for the best to happen. He has his contingency measures in mind in case of any eventuality. “Obviously, there will be contingency planning that we need people,” he said. So, does that mean Quinn Hughes is about to get the call? Maybe, maybe not. But the door isn’t completely shut. Do you think that we will see Quinn intervene at the final moment? Drop your thoughts in the comments!