Boeser, Blueger & Hronek absent from Canucks practice in Nashville

Boeser has missed two games due to personal reasons, while Blueger left Sunday’s 4-3 win in Washington late in the third period with an undisclosed injury. The veteran centre then sat out Tuesday’s 5-1 loss in Pittsburgh.

While it’s possible one or both players could still find their way into Thursday’s lineup, it seems unlikely if they’re not participating in the team’s first practice in more than a week. The Canucks are in the midst of a gruelling seven-game stretch in 11 nights of their schedule. When they come off the road following the game against the Nashville Predators, the Canucks have back-to-back weekend games at home against the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers.

With a lineup featuring six skaters that played at least 30 games in AHL Abbotsford last season – plus journeyman Joe LaBate, who spent the bulk of last season in the minors – the Canucks looked overmatched against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins as Tuesday’s game wore on.

Veteran blueliner Filip Hronek was also absent from Wednesday’s practice. There is no word on whether it was simply a maintenance day or if Hronek is battling an injury of some sort. Rookie Tom Willander is with the team as its lone healthy extra blueliner.

The Canucks skated in the same line combinations at practice that they used against the Penguins. Conor Garland scored the team’s lone goal just 1:18 after the opening faceoff. Despite their struggles in Pittsburgh, the Canucks are 3-1 through the first four games of their road trip and have a chance to come home with eight of 10 points if they can beat a struggling Nashville team that has dropped four straight games.