What's best for country isn't always what's best for club, as made clear by this week's dance among the Canucks, Team USA and the NHL.

The United States and Canada will be playing in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game on Thursday and Team USA will have a bit of unexpected help in the form of Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes.

Hughes was named to the U.S. roster in June but bowed out due to an oblique injury. He can't play unless another defenseman is unavailable.

Sunday, 5 p.m., Delta Center TV: Sportsnet. Radio: Sportsnet 650 The buzz: It’s pretty simple: on the second of back-to-backs, will Canucks captain Quinn Hughes finally make his return from an oblique injury?

Despite a bold proclamation from Mike Sullivan that “Quinn Hughes is coming,” the defenseman will not, in fact, be traveling for the 4 Nations Face-Off final.

Hughes' next chance to play will come Wednesday against the Kings.

Team USA said Quinn Hughes was flying to Boston to join them at least as emergency depth. But Hughes was still in Vancouver and unsure of his status.

The Canucks have shared discouraging injury news on top players Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes before playing the Golden Knights.

VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Canucks hope the potential return of defenseman Quinn Hughes allows them to carry over the momentum they built before the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off.

With Hughes unavailable, Team USA has extended invitations to Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson and New Jersey Devils defenseman Brett Pesce to join the team in Boston as injury replacements. Like Hughes, Thompson and Pesce would only be available to play if another member of the team is unable to play.

The Boston Bruins say defenseman Charlie McAvoy won’t be able to play for the United States in the championship game of the 4 Nations Face-Off on his home ice because of an undisclosed upper-body injury.

The Vancouver Canucks defenseman, who had to drop out of the tournament Feb. 9 because of an undisclosed injury, practiced for a second straight day in Vancouver on Wednesday, this time with a regular jersey. He practiced Tuesday in a red, non-contact jersey.