The United States didn鈥檛 have to sacrifice much when looking for a replacement for injured defenseman Charlie McAvoy in the 4 Nations Face-Off final: Reigning Norris Trophy winner Quinn Hughes was ready to step in.

U.S. coach Mike Sullivan said Tuesday that Hughes was on his way to Boston to be available when the Americans play Canada in the championship game.

Hughes has missed the Canucks鈥� last four games and was a last minute scratch from the international tournament, which marks the return of the world鈥檚 best hockey players to the international stage after they missed the last two Winter Olympics.

Hughes, 25, was a first-round draft choice who joined the Canucks after two years at Michigan, where he was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as a sophomore. He had career highs of 17 goals and 75 assists for Vancouver last season, when he was the runaway winner of the award that for the NHL鈥檚 top defenseman and finished seventh in voting for the Hart Trophy that goes to the league MVP.

According to the 4 Nations rules, the Americans can only add him to the roster if they drop below six 鈥渁ble-bodied鈥� defenseman; that would mean one more U.S. defenseman would have to be ruled out. The rules allow them to apply for emergency relief on an 鈥渁s-needed鈥� basis, an application that would be considered by tournament chairs Bill Daly and Rob Zepp.

鈥淩ight now, we鈥檙e just taking each day as it comes,鈥� Sullivan said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l see what potential options might be available for us for the championship game and then we鈥檒l make decisions accordingly from there.鈥�

A 27-year-old Boston University product and top Bruins defenseman who has twice finished in the top five of the Norris Trophy voting, McAvoy had been a key contributor to the American team whose Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby were credited with setting a tone in the round robin matchup between the North Americans. Thursday鈥檚 championship will be at the TD Garden, the Bruins鈥� home ice.

The Bruins announced on Tuesday that he was admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital on Monday night with an unspecified upper body injury.

鈥淗e鈥檚 obviously disappointed that he won鈥檛 have the ability to participate in the championship game. This tournament means a lot to him,鈥� said Sullivan, who is also .

鈥淚鈥檓 disappointed for him because first and foremost, he鈥檚 a great kid and he鈥檚 a terrific hockey player, and I know this meant a lot to him.鈥�