Canucks’ Filip Hronek out two months following non-surgical procedure

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Filip Hronek always wants to play, no matter what it takes.

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A non-surgical, lower-body procedure, as opposed to surgery, has sidelined the Vancouver Canucks top-pairing defenceman for eight weeks. It’s not the best news, but a combination of not requiring right shoulder surgery and dealing now with a lower-body ailment, will add up to bringing him back for the stretch drive and playoffs.

Hronek could have been sidelined for remaining of this NHL season if surgery was the only option for a shoulder that has also caused him problems in the past.

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Hronek was injured in the final minute of a 5-4 victory in Pittsburgh on Nov. 27 when drilled by Jack St. Ivany into the end boards. Hronek fell awkwardly as he absorbed the heavy impact on the back of his right shoulder.

He was seen grimacing in pain, as he fell to the ice.

In his absence, the Canucks have juggled their pairings and blueliners have soaked up more minutes and gone to the grind to get wins. They have deployed Noah Juulsen — he had five blocks and five hits Sunday in a 5-4 overtime win at Detroit — and Tyler Myers to work with Hughes.

The adjustments helped forge a 4-1-0 road record heading into the finale of a six-game trip on Tuesday in St. Paul, Minn. against the league-leading Wild.

“Throughout the road trip, guys have done something to help the team,” Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said Tuesday. “I could go down the list with key moments and Quinn Hughes has been unreal. We’re a team that can’t have four or five passengers.

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“Everybody has to contribute something, whether it’s Juulsen with blocked shots, or one night the penalty kill and another the power play. That’s the key.”

Hronek made a seamless trade transition to the Canucks and a pairing with Hughes. His team-leading plus-14 rating speaks to how he and the Canucks captain control play at even strength by playing off each other and denying the opposition turnovers to swing momentum.

Hronek was logging an average of 23:36 per outing and had 24 shots when sidelined to put a talented pairing on hold.

Hughes is the get-out-of-jail card to quickly transition from the back end and Hronek is always one of his exit options, unless the Norris Trophy leader unleashes a long passing bomb. Hronek’s nine points (1-8) are a product of being responsible and opportunistic with an underrated shot to help guide the second power-play unit from the point.

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And he’s a big reason why the once inept penalty kill is ranked 11th at 80.6 per cent efficiency.

Hronek, 27, was a restricted free agent at the end of last season. He signed an eight-year, US$58 million extension on June 18 that carries and $7.25 million annual salary-cap hit.

Hronek has also had a history of shoulder trouble. He had an ailment when the Canucks traded for him on March 1, 2023 and didn’t make his Vancouver debut until March 23. He played just four games and was then shut down. Tocchet said at the time that Hronek hadn’t suffered a setback, but implied he was still lacking strength to compete.

Had the Canucks advance to the playoffs, he would have been back.

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