Quinn Hughes' debut with the Canucks will take place later than expected. The defenseman suffered an ankle injury March 8 while playing for the University of Michigan in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament. He played through the injury the following day. "I want to play every game," Hughes told reporters. "Obviously I was a little bit more motivated to play this game because it could have been my last (college game), which it was." The Canucks signed Hughes to an entry-level contract March 10, about nine months after selecting him with the seventh pick in the 2018 draft. Quinn Hughes, meeting the Vancouver media, said he had an MRI on his ankle this morning. He’s awaiting results and was told not to skate today. pic.twitter.com/EtY8q9RdEo — Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) March 13, 2019 The 19-year-old was in line to see his first NHL action as early as Wednesday when Vancouver hosts the New York Rangers. He and the Canucks are awaiting the results of an MRI exam on the ankle. "It's getting better every day," Hughes said of his ankle. "I'd say, like, 10-15 percent better each day, but I got my MRI (Wednesday) morning and we'll see how the results go." MORE: Leafs' Morgan Rielly: 'No place' for homophobic slurs anywhere "I haven't skated in a couple days so I don't know how it feels there but walking it feels a little bit better. Only certain movements hurt," Hughes added. "I asked if I could skate (Wednesday) and they told me they wanted to wait for the MRI report." If Hughes is cleared, then his next opportunity to take the ice will come Friday when Vancouver hosts New Jersey.<doc-sep>Share this Story: Ben Kuzma: Hughes arrival, health, debut has Canucks' pulses racing Ben Kuzma: Hughes arrival, health, debut has Canucks' pulses racing Highly-touted collegiate defenceman expected to be difference-maker for NHL club Photo by Kevin Light / PNG Article content Jim Benning isn’t a doctor, but he had to play one Monday. The Vancouver Canucks general manager was peppered with queries about the arrival, health and highly-anticipated debut of 19-year-old defenceman Quinn Hughes. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Ben Kuzma: Hughes arrival, health, debut has Canucks' pulses racing Back to video The fleet-footed, puck-moving wizard, who suffered a bruised ankle blocking a shot Friday in the Big Ten best-of-three quarterfinal series opener, signed a three-year, entry-level deal Sunday and will arrive here Tuesday. And that’s where it gets interesting. The highly-hyped seventh selection in the 2018 draft will have a physical and CAT-scan to assess ankle stability. X-rays performed late Friday revealed no structural damage, but the 5-foot-10, 175 pound dynamo played sparingly Saturday. And he was still limping Monday, two days after his Michigan Wolverines were swept Saturday by the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Tuesday scan results will determine whether Hughes plays in home games Wednesday against the New York Rangers or Friday against the New Jersey Devils. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Photo by Ben Nelms / PNG “He won’t play until he’s 100 per cent healthy and when we get that word, and the swelling goes down in his ankle, he’ll be in the lineup,” said Benning. “When I talked to him Monday, his ankle was still fairly swollen. I want him to get in here and get adjusted to the speed and strength of NHL players, but there are aspects of his game where he can help us right now.” The Canucks have 13 regular-season games remaining — including 10 at home — and from development and marketing perspectives, getting Hughes up and running as quickly as possible is of paramount importance. He will burn the first year of his entry-level contract when he plays his first game. And the left-shot blueliner can only play 10 games the remainder of this season so he doesn’t have to be protected for the Seattle expansion draft in 2021. If he exceeds 10 games, he would be a third-year player by 2021 and need to be included on the protected list. That’s the boiler-plate stuff. What everyone is anxious to see is the on-ice stuff. If the right-shot Chis Tanev returns after missing 11 games with an ankle injury, he would pair well with Hughes. So would Troy Stecher. And Travis Green said he’d play Hughes “as much as I can.” Hughes had 33 points (5-28) in 30 games this season with the disappointing 13-18-7 Wolverines. His eye-popping array of puck-moving wizardry — especially mobility to avoid the first forechecker with elite edge work — will be a boon to the back end. So will his ability to run a plodding and predictable power play that has sunk to 29th overall. “He can snap passes or change the angle on his shot to get them through, but I don’t want to put too much pressure on him,” added Benning. “It’s a big step. I told him come in, work hard, don’t be nervous and do the things you’re capable of doing and I expect him to do that.” There was some buzz that Hughes might not return to Michigan this season, or leave school after the 2019 world junior tournament, because his game was already on fast forward. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or “I talked to his advisor (agent Pat Brisson) to see if there was any appetite for that, but he made a decision to finish out the year and didn’t feel it was the right thing to do, to leave his team halfway through the year,” said Benning. That’s the other side of Hughes. It’s called accountability on the ice and the home front. Aside from plaudits for being the youngest player in the 2018 World Hockey Championship with the U.S. and competing in two world junior tournaments, a rich family hockey lineage also works into the equation. His father, Jim, was a defenceman and team captain at Providence College and served as an assistant coach. He was also an assistant with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (ECAC), New Jersey (Roller Hockey), Orlando (IHL), Boston, (NHL), Toronto (AHL) and was head coach of Minsk (KHL). He was also director of player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs. His mother, Ellen, was a three-sports star and University of New Hampshire Hall of Fame inductee and his younger brother, Jack, is projected as a top pick for the 2019 NHL draft in Vancouver. There’s also Luke, who played Triple-A Bantam. But Quinn is special. “I’ve never seen a kid who can make plays through people,” said former Canucks winger Jeff Tambellini, an assistant coach at Michigan in the 2017-18 season before joining BCHL Trail Smoke Eaters as GM and coach. “He’s thinking two plays ahead and makes people make bad decisions trying to jump in on him because he just accelerates.” Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content “I can’t see him not being an outstanding NHLer.” OVERTIME: Michigan winger Will Lockwood, a 2016 third-round Canucks draft pick, is taking this week to determine whether he will turn pro. He had 31 points (16-15) in 36 games this season, but has had two shoulder surgeries, the latest after the 2018 world junior championship. bkuzma@postmedia.com twitter.com/@benkuzma NEXT GAME Wednesday New York Rangers vs. Vancouver Canucks 7 p.m., Rogers Arena, TV: Sportsnet Pacific; Radio: Sportsnet 650 AM CLICK HERE to report a typo. Is there more to this story?<doc-sep>Share this Story: Five Things about Quinn Hughes, the newest Canucks defenceman Five Things about Quinn Hughes, the newest Canucks defenceman Photo by Tom Pennington / Getty Images Article content Photo by Tom Pennington / Getty Images Quinn Hughes may be small, but the Vancouver Canucks are expecting big things from their prized defensive prospect. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Five Things about Quinn Hughes, the newest Canucks defenceman Back to video The 5-10 blue-liner turned pro this weekend, signing a three-year, entry-level NHL contract with the Canucks one night after a humiliating loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, and just eight months after the club selected the teen phenom with the seventh-overall pick at last summer’s entry draft. Hughes will be a welcome addition to a Canucks’ defence corps in dire need of a new identity, not to mention an offensive engine: Alex Edler leads the Canucks’ blue-line with just 22 points in 43 games; no team boasts a defensive scoring leader with fewer points. On Wednesday, the Canucks formally introduced the defenceman to a hockey market desperate for exactly what he brings: elite skating, smooth outlet passes, and a gift for creating offence from the back end. His NHL debut is soon to follow. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content But before we get a look at Hughes on the ice, let’s take a closer look at the newest Canuck with five quick facts about him: Hughes recently named hockey’s top prospect In January, The Athletic’s prospect guru Corey Pronman ranked the top 50 prospects in the NHL’s 31 organizations. Quinn Hughes topped the list, beating out big names such as Detroit’s Filip Zadina and Carolina’s Martin Necas. Hughes was labelled a future star, and was just one of three prospects Pronman rated as elite. “Quinn Hughes is a special talent,” Pronman said. “The way he skates is unique and separates him from the pack. He’s a truly elite skater but it’s not just speed, his edges are ridiculously good. He spins off pressure and gets up to top speed incredibly well. “He’s also very skilled and makes elite plays seems routine. He has a fluidity to his game that I’ve never seen before.” After years of watching a Vancouver blue-line that few would describe as “fluid,” Canucks fans can only hope Pronman is correct in his analysis. Hughes came to Canucks in a hurry Hughes is known for his speed, and you could argue the offensive sparkplug has already demonstrated this skill by arriving in Vancouver in such short order. Typically, Canucks fans have to wait at least a full season before the team’s top prospects arrive. But Hughes, who signed with Vancouver at the end of his sophomore season in Michigan, is ahead of schedule. It has been a long time since we’ve seen a prospect graduate to the NHL so quickly. The last player to make his Canucks debut in the year immediately following his draft (otherwise known as his D+1 year) was Ryan Kesler (2003). Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Hughes is a Hobey Baker nominee After another point-per-game season with Michigan (5 goals, 28 assists in 32 games), Hughes finds himself in contention for this year’s Hobey Baker Award, given to the best hockey player in the NCAA. He’s on the longlist, and will find out next week if he’s on the short-list, which he should be. If he wins, that would give Canucks prospects back-to-back awards after Adam Gaudette took home the coveted prize last season. Either way, Hughes’ nomination marks the third time in as many years the Canucks have had a candidate for the award in their prospect pool. Brock Boeser narrowly missed out in his final NCAA season a year before Gaudette. That certainly bodes well for a team in the middle of a rebuild. Photo by Michael Caterina / AP Hughes comes from a huge sports family You’ve probably heard of Quinn’s younger brother Jack, who is projected to go first overall at this year’s entry draft in Vancouver. But the Hughes family has produced far more than just two notable athletes. Quinn and Jack’s younger brother, Luke, currently playing bantam hockey, is also projected to be a first-round draft pick, which would be the first time an American family has ever had three players taken in the first round of the NHL draft. Quinn’s father, Jim Hughes, was a former hockey player and team captain for Providence College. He was also director of player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs. His mother, Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, played for the United States women’s national hockey team and was a standout, three-sport, Hall of Fame athlete at the University of New Hampshire. Quinn’s uncle, Marty Hughes, and his cousin, Teddy Doherty, played professional hockey as well. Hughes will be first (real) no. 43 in Canucks history Expectations are incredibly high for Hughes, who many believe has the potential to be the best defenceman in Canucks history. But even before his NHL debut, Hughes is already flirting with Canucks history: according to Hockey-Reference.com, he’ll be the first Canuck to rock the No. 43, the same number he wore with the NCAA’s Michigan Wolverines. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Hughes will wear no. 4️⃣3️⃣ 🔥 https://t.co/lArXBbitnv — Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) March 10, 2019 That said, two other Canucks have sported the number, albeit incredibly briefly. Winger Pat Kavanagh wore the number for three playoff games in 2001, and defenceman Don Gibson wore No. 43 for one game in 1991. But those instances hardly count. Hughes will be the longest-serving No. 43 in franchise history by the time this season comes to a close. If he lives up to the hype, he could conceivably be the last. hmooney@postmedia.com Follow @harrisonmooney CLICK HERE to report a typo. Is there more to this story?<doc-sep>Vancouver Canucks fans will have to wait a little longer for Quinn Hughes‘ debut. The 2018 seventh-overall pick is dealing with a bone bruise in his ankle, and will wear a walking boot for the next week. Hughes suffered an ankle injury March 8 while playing for the University of Michigan in the quarter-finals of the Big Ten Tournament. The Canucks signed the blue-liner to an entry-level contract March 10.<doc-sep>
Share this Story: Patrick Johnston: Canucks will wait for healthy Hughes to debut, add Tiger to blue-line Patrick Johnston: Canucks will wait for healthy Hughes to debut, add Tiger to blue-line As the Canucks wait to learn more about the health of Quinn Hughes' right foot, they've also added another college defenceman in Josh Teves. Photo by Gerry Kahrmann / Postmedia News Files Article content Call it a Captain Obvious moment: the official team answer to when Quinn Hughes will play for the Vancouver Canucks is: “when he’s healthy.” The Vancouver Canucks’ newest defenceman blocked a shot with his right foot Friday during an NCAA playoff game against the University of Minnesota. He managed to play the next night in the best-of-three playoff series, which his Michigan Wolverines lost, ending his collegiate career. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Patrick Johnston: Canucks will wait for healthy Hughes to debut, add Tiger to blue-line Back to video The 19-year-old signed with the Canucks over the weekend — he was drafted last summer — and flew to Vancouver Tuesday. Another spoiler alert: his new coach is stoked. “It’s exciting,” Travis Green said Tuesday. “There’s been a lot of talk about a lot of our young guys. To get him signed and on his way to Vancouver is exciting.” But the timetable for Hughes’s first game in the NHL is unclear. Green said the only plan for the mobile blue-liner in the short-term is to determine the health of his foot. Once he’s healthy and ready to skate, he’s likely to get right into game action. Article content “I’ll plug him in as soon as I can,” Green said. “He’s been off the ice now for, I think he played Saturday, tomorrow’s going on four days. He’s going to need to get on the ice here and skate. I want to see him as much as everyone else.” Players coming from college often talk about getting used to the quickness of the NHL game, but Alex Biega, who has plotted out an NHL career as a smaller defenceman after playing NCAA hockey (at Harvard), said there was one thing his newest teammate likely won’t have to worry about. “(Because) you’re playing 36 games or so, you’re in the gym, you’re working out in the gym maybe two to three times a week. Physically I would say that college guys are a little bit more prepared … for the man’s game,” he said. “I’m excited for him because the game’s changed. You can defend with your speed and your skating.” Adding a Tiger to blue-line Tuesday, the Canucks added another college player to the mix, signing 24-year-old Josh Teves to a one-year deal. “He’s a smart two-way defenceman, always makes good decisions with the puck,” general manager Jim Benning said. “A good passer. He’s a little bit older, so physically he’s mature.” Teves will join the Canucks for the remainder of the season. A late bloomer, he played one year in the B.C. Hockey League as a 19-year-old blue-liner with the Merritt Centennials and then played for four years for a solid hockey program at Princeton University. He posted decent though not spectacular numbers for the Tigers. Article content “Our college scouts really like him,” Benning added. “A great kid, a character kid.” Because of his age, the collective bargaining agreement only allowed for Teves to be signed to a one-year deal, which will expire at the end of the season, leaving him as a restricted free agent. But expect him to be re-signed to a longer-term deal at that point: “If I could have signed him to a longer deal, I would have,” Benning said. pjohnston@postmedia.com twitter.com/risingaction CLICK HERE to report a typo. Is there more to this story? We’d like to hear from you about this or any other stories you think we should know about. Email vantips@postmedia.com Share this article in your social network The Province Headline News Sign up to receive daily headline news from The Province, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Email Address There was an error, please provide a valid email address. By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails.