Hronek’s Back! Canucks Star Defenseman Rejoins Team in Winnipeg, Boosting Playoff Hopes
Vancouver Canucks’ General Manager announced on Monday morning that defenceman Filip Hronek has rejoined the team in Winnipeg ahead of Tuesday’s match against the Jets.
Hronek has been out of the Canucks lineup since November 27th; as late in the game, when the team was fighting to try and tie the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Czech defenceman fell awkwardly into the boards and looked to injure his shoulder. The club announced that his upper-body injury did not require surgery; however, while he was rehabbing his shoulder injury, Hronek underwent a procedure to his lower body to fix some minor tweaks.
After the injury, the defenceman was given an eight-week timeline to return. If he is to suit up for the Canucks in tomorrow night’s game against the Jets, he will return in just under seven weeks.
The right-shot defenceman looks to be ahead of schedule for his original timeline. Just five days ago on January 8th, Hronek was assigned to AHL Abbotsford for a conditioning stint. While he didn’t appear in any games, he was given the opportunity to get some reps in at practice.
The 27-year-old defenceman has played 21 games this season, scoring one goal and eight assists for nine points with a plus-14 rating in 23:36 minutes of average ice time. After a career year, scoring five goals and 43 assists for 48 points with a plus-33 rating in 23:26 minutes of average ice time in 81 games, Hronek earned himself an eight-year, $58 million contract that pays him $7.25 million annually.
The Canucks wrap up their five-game road trip on Tuesday against the Jets before returning home to face the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers. This may be a good indication that Hronek is ready to return sooner rather than later if he is flying on the road one game before the club returns home.
There is no confirmation on whether he will return to action tomorrow, but the Canucks will hit the ice for practice this afternoon. More details to come.
