Elliotte Friedman gives his 'honest feeling' on Canucks not medically clearing Quinn Hughes to play for Team USA at 4 Nations Final

It will be a showdown for the ages on Thursday night, as Team USA and Team Canada face each other in the Four Nations Face-Off title game. If it's anything like what fans witnessed on Saturday night, then Thursday's game will be another instant classic.

However, Team USA has run into an injury problem. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy will not feature after he was hospitalized due to an infection caused by an upper-body injury.

While Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes was said to be on his way to Boston as a substitute, rules would prevent him from playing unless Team USA suffered another injury or illness on top of McAvoy's.

Hughes had already missed the last handful of games with the Canucks prior to the start of the Four Nations Face-Off tournament, and according to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, it's the Canucks who are more likely to have an issue if he plays on Thursday instead of Team Canada.

"I think if there's an issue here, it's probably Vancouver's," he said. "I had heard that Team Canada said they weren't going to throw up a stink one way or the other. My honest feeling is Vancouver had more of a problem with it than Team Canada did."

Quinn Hughes wanted to play for Team USA

When discussing the possibility of playing for Team USA on Tuesday, Hughes made no secret about the fact that he wanted to but would have to acquiesce to the rules in place.

“I really want to and, obviously, it’s been really hard to watch,” he said. “I want to play but the rules are the rules and they still have their six defensemen, so it changes my position a little bit. If they had to do it over again, they might bring in a couple of extra players.

“I’m close to a lot of those U.S.A. guys and proud how they’ve been playing. And the six defencemen got them to the championship game and deserve to play. But it’s hard for me. I’m a competitor and feel like I want to play and be there."

Hughes had to decline his spot on the team when the rosters were being assembled due to injury rehabilitation. However, the 2023-24 Norris Trophy winner's place on the team had all but otherwise been set in stone.