Canucks reportedly may break up Hronek-Hughes pairing to start 2024-25

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Cooper Godin
August 7, 2024 (11:49)

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The Vancouver Canucks reportedly may break up the Filip Hronek-Quinn Hughes pairing to start the 2024-25 season.

This summer, the Vancouver Canucks have made some new additions to their defensive group. On the opening day of free agency, Patrik Allvin signed Vincent Desharnais and Derek Forbort to replace Nikita Zadorov and Ian Cole, who left for Boston and Utah, respectively, as UFAs. Allvin also re-sign Tyler Myers before he was able to hit the open market and he'll be a solid option for the Canucks' third pairing.

In a recent article on The Athletic, Thomas Drance suggested that the Vancouver Canucks could split up the pairing of Filip Hronek and Quinn Hughes to start the 2024-25 season and we could see Vincent Desharnais as an option to play alongside the team's captain.

"In reviewing my notes and considering that answer over the weekend, I found it difficult to shake the possibility that perhaps the club might look at different combinations on the back end this upcoming season. Hronek and Hughes were attached at the hip last season, rarely playing full games apart, but one wonders if we may see incoming free-agent signing Vincent Desharnais given an audition in a top-pair role for a stretch this upcoming season. He'd certainly be a candidate to match Tocchet's "bigger defenseman that can sling Hughes the puck and play a smart game" description." Drance said.

He later went on to add, "If Desharnais can hold down a role that high up the lineup, however, it could permit the Canucks to roll with a Carson Soucy-Hronek second pair, which certainly looks good on paper, and Derek Forbort and Tyler Myers combining on a jumbo-sized third pair."

Desharnais, 28, is coming off his second season in the National Hockey League, playing a depth role on the Oilers' blue line as they advanced to their first Stanley Cup Final since 2006. In 78 games last season, the Laval, Quebec native had 11 points (one goal, ten assists), 53 penalty minutes and was a plus-three. He went on to add one assist and 22 penalty minutes in 16 games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

We'll have to wait and see what Rick Tocchet and his staff decides to do with his defensive group to start the year. The Canucks will likely experiment during training camp and pre-season games, but all options will be considered for Quinn Hughes' partner when opening night rolls around in October.