In an exhilarating development for Vancouver Canucks fans, two of the team's star players, Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes, returned to practice after missing significant playing time due to injuries.

This weekend's practice marked the first appearance on the ice for both players since December 23, 2024.

While Hughes was back in his usual spot on the first power play unit, Pettersson did not participate in special teams practice, suggesting he might need a little more time before he’s ready for game action.

Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet revealed on Monday morning that Hughes is a game-time decision for the highly anticipated matchup against the Montreal Canadiens, but unfortunately, Pettersson is unlikely to play.

"Game-time on Quinn; I don't think Petey's going to play tonight," Tocchet commented. "He's still skating, but I'm leaning towards Hughes being ready to contribute."

The timing of Hughes's potential return is especially fortuitous for the Canucks, who struggled in his absence, losing three out of four games, with their only victory coming in a shootout format.

Hughes's skill in facilitating plays from the blue line is vital to the team’s offensive strategy, and his absence was seriously felt as other defensemen grappled with puck transitions.

In a setback, Dakota Joshua will also be sidelined for the game against Montreal.

Tocchet specified Joshua is expected to be out week-to-week but clarified that this period wouldn’t necessarily stretch to three weeks—likely closer to 8-9 days following an injury incurred against the Nashville Predators.

The Canucks will face a Canadiens team that is riding high, having won seven out of their last nine matches, bringing their overall record to 18-18-3.

Coach Tocchet acknowledged the impressive turnaround under Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis, who has reinvigorated the team’s play.

"We're playing a hot team," Tocchet remarked. "Marty has the guys playing well, and we need to maintain our game plan to emerge victorious."

Projected Lines for the Canucks:

Given the uncertainty surrounding Hughes's status, defensive pairings may shift.

In light of Joshua’s absence, the Canucks have called up forward Jonathan Lekkerimäki for emergency duty.

Lekkerimäki, who has been performing well in the AHL with 12 goals and 17 points over 21 games, has been positioned in a prominent role.

Expected lineups include:

- JT Miller - Brock Boeser - Jonathan Lekkerimäki

- Jake DeBrusk - Pius Suter - Conor Garland

- [Defensive Pairings TBD based on Hughes's participation]

Goaltending duties will fall to Kevin Lankinen with Arturs Silovs as the backup.

Notably, Thatcher Demko is nearing a return though still recovering from recent back spasms.

Montreal Canadiens Expected Lineup:

The Canadiens have shown improvement thanks to key performances from players like Cole Caufield, who leads the team in goals with 21.

Nick Suzuki is leading the team in points with 38, while rookie defenseman Lane Hutson contributes significantly from the back-end.

- Cole Caufield - Nick Suzuki - Juraj Slafkovsky

- Alex Newhook - Kirby Dach - Michael Pezzetta

- Josh Anderson - Christian Dvorak - Brendan Gallagher

- Emil Heineman - Jake Evans - Joel Armia

On defense, they are expected to field:

- Lane Hutson - Mike Matheson

- Kaiden Guhle - Alexandre Carrier

- Arber Xhekaj - Jayden Struble

Goaltending Update:

Sam Montembeault is expected to start, although the impressive rookie, Jakub Dobes, may challenge for the role after recent standout performances.

With several players’ statuses uncertain, one thing is clear: this game promises to be an action-packed confrontation between two teams eager to prove themselves.

Tune in to see if Hughes’s return can spark the Canucks to victory against a surging Canadiens squad!