Thanks for your post. First, it's difficult to weigh in on this without seeing the x-ray or knowing how old your nephew is. That having been said, a metacarpal bone should heal within 6 weeks, and in many cases, I would be able to treat in a "plastic" brace which would allow at least some motion of the fingers to prevent stiffness.
Given the importance of hockey, I would think that return to play might be possible once "healing" has been established. Another consideration is for fracture fixation with a plate and screws-------this might expedite healing and certainly would obviate the need for prolonged immobilization. This probably is not something I'd routinely recommend in a child, but this type of more aggressive intervention becomes an option in older athletes who can't afford a prolonged recovery.
If you are able to attach some pics of the x-rays, I'd be happy to look at them.
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