Quinn Hughes added to U.S. 4 Nations roster, may replace injured D-man McAvoy in final

Quinn Hughes is set to join the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Whether the Vancouver Canucks captain gets into Thursday's final against Canada remains to be seen.

The Boston Bruins announced star defenceman Charlie McAvoy will miss the championship game after being admitted to hospital for tests related to an upper-body injury suffered at the tournament.

American head coach Mike Sullivan said Tuesday at TD Garden that Hughes — last season's Norris Trophy winner as the NHL's top blueliner — was en route to Boston.

Among six players initially named to the U.S. roster back in June, the 25-year-old missed Vancouver's final four games ahead of the 4 Nations and was replaced by Jake Sanderson of the Ottawa Senators.

Hughes leads the Canucks with 14 goals and 45 assists for 59 points — 24 more than the next closest teammate — in 47 contests this season.

McAvoy being sidelined reduced the U.S. to six healthy defencemen. Tournament rules state teams can apply to bring in a player as emergency relief if they drop below the threshold of six a half-dozen blueliners, 12 forwards or three goaltenders.

That opened the door for Hughes.

Canada added defenceman Thomas Harley for its game against the Americans on Saturday in Montreal after Shea Theodore's upper-body injury and Cale Makar's illness left the country with five available members of the defence corps. Harley was removed from the roster after Makar recovered.

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Hughes will not be allowed to practise with the U.S. unless his country drops below the same threshold.

McAvoy sat out Monday's 2-1 loss to Sweden that didn't impact