Team USA officially recalls “standby” players for final vs. Canada!

All 4 teams in the 4 nations tournament have dealt with injuries, but the Americans are the ones being dealt the worst hand. Earlier on Wednesday, it was unfortunately confirmed for Team USA that defenseman Quinn Hughes has not been medically cleared and will not be able to travel to Boston to step in as replacement for Charlie McAvoy. The Boston Bruins blue liner was admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital to cut out and clean an infection and will not play in the championship game on Thursday. He is expected to be sidelined on a week-to-week basis until the area can heal.

On top of the news of Hughes not being able to join the American club, it was also revealed that the team was looking into “bringing in a couple of other players just as insurance, because of illness going around.”

It has now been announced, per Frank Seravalli, that Team USA has officially invited New Jersey Devils defenseman Brett Pesce and Buffalo Sabres Tage Thompson to travel to Boston as insurance for potential illness / injury replacements ahead of clash versus Canada.

“USA would need to drop below roster minimum thresholds for either to enter lineup.”

Thompson was among the last cuts for Team USA.

McAvoy being sidelined reduced the U.S. to six healthy defensemen. Tournament rules are however clear. The rulebook states that teams can apply to bring in a player as emergency relief if they drop below the threshold of a half-dozen blue liners, 12 forwards or three goaltenders. Meaning that Hughes would not be allowed to practise with the U.S. unless his country drops below the defence threshold with another injury or illness.

We saw the almost exact situation with Team Canada earlier in the tournament when defenseman Thomas Harley was added to the roster for its game against the Americans on Saturday in Montreal after Shea Theodore sustained a brual upper-body injury and Cale Makar fell sick, leaving the Canadians with five available members of the defence corps. Harley was removed from the roster after Makar recovered.

Therefore, the same rules for Pesce and Thompson that did for Canada in Montreal. They cannot join the team in Thursday’s morning skate unless USA drops below the roster thresholds.

We will know more on the status of the players on the current roster tomorrow and if either Pesce or Thompson or both need to suit up for the Americans.