Worse Than Expected: Rick Tocchet Provides Unfortunate Update to Reporters on Defenseman Filip Hronek

PUBLICATION

Cooper Godin
November 29, 2024 (1:05 PM)

SHARE THIS STORY

The Vancouver Canucks are set to be without Filip Hronek in the line-up for Friday's game in Buffalo and we got a bit of an update from Rick Tocchet before the game.

It's an early start for the Vancouver Canucks on Friday as they take on the Buffalo Sabres in a matinee starting at 3 pm ET, meaning a Noon PT start time for those on the West Coast.

Rick Tocchet's lineup for today's game came out not long ago and to no one's surprise, defenseman Filip Hronek won't be suiting up.

For those who missed it, Hronek suffered an upper-body injury in the last minute of the third period on Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, with reports suggesting he could be out for 'a while'.

Rick Tocchet gives brief update on Filip Hronek

When meeting with reporters on Friday ahead of their game in Buffalo, Rick Tocchet said that the medical staff are still evaluating the Czech blueliner for an upper-body injury and at this time, there is no timeline for his return to the ice.

Rick Dhaliwal of Donnie & Dhali discussed the injury on his show on Friday, saying that while Filip Hronek doesn't want to have surgery, the team will now if he needs it or not later today or on Saturday.

It was also revealed that the injury Filip Hronek may be dealing with is a separated shoulder, which would require him to miss at least four-to-six weeks.

"A lot of people do think Donnie that it's a separated shoulder and when you look at this, it's just so obvious that it most likely is a separated shoulder. You know, surgery, you're hearing he doesn't want surgery, but they're still evaluated. I don't know if surgery comes into play later on today or tomorrow. They're still evaluating it, but most people do think that's a separated shoulder and you know Don, separated shoulders are what - 4-to-6 weeks? Something like that. It's just horrible timing." Dhaliwal said.

It's going to be a tough road ahead without Filip Hronek in the lineup and it's going to be interesting if it happens to be an injury where he's out for a couple of months, if Patrik Allvin gets more aggressive on the trade market for a blueliner.