Canucks recall Jack Rathbone to cover for ailing Quinn Hughes

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Vancouver Canucks management have said they wanted to get prospect Jack Rathbone some more NHL time before the season came to close.

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And now the former Harvard University captain is back, though for how long it is not certain.

Rathbone was called up by the Canucks from AHL Abbotsford under emergency conditions on Thursday, ahead of a two-game road trip to face the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday and the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday.

Star defenseman Quinn Hughes is the latest Canuck to come down with a stomach bug — Bo Horvat was first, late last week, then Brad Richardson on the weekend and then unnamed others on Monday — and his status for Wednesday’s game was uncertain, head coach Bruce Boudreau said.

If Hughes is feeling well on Wednesday morning, he’ll fly to Las Vegas and join up with his teammates ahead of Wednesday evening’s encounter at T-Mobile Arena.

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Rathbone’s recall is considered an emergency because the team now technically has only five healthy defensemen, though Kyle Burroughs skated in Tuesday’s practice and appears ready to play Wednesday. Burroughs has been on injured reserve since fracturing ribs in a game on Feb. 19.

If Burroughs is activated and the Canucks don’t suffer any other injuries before Wednesday’s faceoff — or Hughes recovers in time to play — Rathbone will either have to be returned to Abbotsford or his recall will have to be made into a regular recall.

Teams are allowed four regular recalls from the minors after the trade deadline and the Canucks have already used two, on Nic Petan and Vasily Podkolzin after the trade deadline. Both were briefly reassigned to Abbotsford ahead of the trade deadline to make them eligible for the AHL playoffs.

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Rathbone started the season with the Canucks but playing sparingly in nine games and went pointless. He was reassigned to Abbotsford in November. After battling some early injuries he’s had a strong season in the AHL, scoring 33 points in 30 games, helping to lead Abbotsford to the playoffs.

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