Canucks’ Filip Hronek assigned to AHL on conditioning stint

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek is inching closer to returning to the lineup as on Wednesday it was announced that he has been assigned to the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks as part of a conditioning stint.

Hronek appears to be ahead of schedule in his recovery from lower-body surgery as in early December it was reported he was expected to be sidelined for about eight weeks. In all, Hronek has been out of the lineup for the Canucks’ past 18 games, a stretch in which the club has posted a record of 7-5-6.

Through 2024-25, Hronek has seen 21 contests in which he has registered one goal and eight assists for nine points with a team-leading plus-14 rating. Hronek also trails only Canucks captain Quinn Hughes in averaging more than 23 minutes of ice time a night.

The 27-year-old Czech-born blue-liner is coming off a career-best season in which he tallied 48 points counting five goals and 43 assists through 81 outings. Hronek then added another two points in 13 postseason outings, his first-ever Stanley Cup Playoffs appearance.

Originally chosen in the second round of the 2016 NHL Draft by the Detroit Red Wings, Hronek joined the Canucks in 2023 in exchange for first- and second-round draft choices. In all, Hronek has seen 411 career contests with the Red Wings and Canucks in which he has collected 36 goals and 178 assists for 214 points.

In June, the Canucks inked Hronek to an eight-year extension that carries a $7.25-million annual average value, per PuckPedia.

On the season, the Canucks stand 18-12-9 and are holding down the final wildcard position in the Western Conference with 45 points. Following Monday’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens, the Canucks will look to return to the win column Wednesday when they take on the Eastern Conference leading Washington Capitals.