CrashingTheGoalie

by Ron Spence

“He’s not good enough to make Vancouver,” the prairie pundit said of Cody Hodgson. “…he’s got big holes in his game right now…Defensively, he’s very deficient – he doesn’t have a clue to be honest with you. He hasn’t had to play that part of the game in junior hockey because he’s so good, he’s so much better than everybody else. He gets the puck and he keeps it for 90 seconds. He hasn’t played in his own end and in the NHL, he’ll cost you more than he gets you right away.”

That’s one man’s opinion – based on watching Cody play in two playoff series for the Manitoba Moose.

Coach Arniel explained the differences between junior and the AHL when Cody arrived in Winnipeg – and before he’d played a game:

“I think that speed is probably the biggest thing. They go a bit quicker, guys get on you a little faster and guys are bigger and stronger. The other thing, too, is the depth at this level. You’ve got 12 forwards at this level that are big and strong and can probably skate, as well as the D, where in junior hockey you don’t quite have that depth.”

Add to this a number of other factors.

In the two playoff series that Cody dressed for the Moose, the raw rookie faced four of the AHL’s top scoring forwards – guys who can turn you around as quick as you can blink.

Also, these teams were on a roll.

Houston had made it to the western finals, and Hershey would win the Kelly Cup. All of their players were jelling, had been playing together all season and had bought into their teams’ systems.

It wasn’t as though Cody’s rookie games were against some bottom-feeders at the beginning of the AHL campaign.

Cody was skating against some of the best players in the minors when he faced the Bears. Their mother ship, the Washington Capitals, is ranked 6th by Hockey’s Future:

“The Caps have a myriad of offensively capable blueliners. Two-way defenseman John Carlson, slick Sami Lepisto, and creative playmaker Keith Seabrook will help to keep Washington’s power play churning on all cylinders for years to come.”

These guys could make a rook look real bad.

But, aside from the specifics, Cody Hodgson was playing in a new league, for a new team, within a new system at the most difficult time of the year.

And the kid was so burnt out that he had to sit out one game.

He had said that he wasn’t tired when he arrived in Manitoba, but he was running on adrenalin after: the Canucks’ training camp; an OHL season, the World Juniors, and Brampton’s playoffs.

Then, he was thrown into the pressure of a small market area during a huge playoff series. It was both physical and mental pressure.

Of course the kid faltered on, occasion. It’s called a learning curve.

Stepping away from Hodgson’s Manitoba games, I would add that Cody was voted the smartest player in the Eastern Conference in the 2008 Coaches Poll. So, he should have the brains to watch and learn from the mistakes that he makes.

“Beyond the scoring,” Hockey’s Future wrote, “the character, leadership and completeness as a hockey player which he demonstrated was unequalled. It was because of this that he was named this year’s recipient of Red Tilson Trophy, as the OHL’s most outstanding player.”

There are two points of view on Cody Hodgson’s skating.

HockeyProspect.com wrote at the time that he was drafted last year:

“Cody has great speed and is very strong on his skates. He has an amazing first few strides that gets him to open ice fast!

His shot is above average and he is very accurate with it. I have seen him score from just about everywhere on the ice. He’s used on the PK and is very dangerous, he anticipates the play very well and gets turnovers because of it.

Smart player who can be played in all situations, keeps getting better. I wish he played for another coach as I think Butler holds back his total offensive potential…had the chance to coach against him a few years back, he is a game plan changer. Opposing coaches earn their cheque figuring out ways to shut him down.”

Sportsnet wasn’t as positive about his skating:

My only negative is that Hodgson might be too nice a guy – lack that mean edge. He was the recipient of the William Hanley Trophy as the OHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player for the 2008-09 season. To me, this is the kiss of death.

Coach Scott Arniel saw Hodgson during last year’s pre-season – when he was on a level playing field – unlike when he was in Manitoba:

“For him, I don’t think it’ll take long. He seems to be a kid who rises to a challenge. He went to his first NHL camp this year, played three or four exhibition games at the NHL level and didn’t really look out of place.”

Take that, plus Dave Gagner’s comments and Cody Hodgson has a good chance of making the Canucks this October.

*****

Thanks to  ‘nucks Misconduct for bringing out attention to the Lawless interview.