Canucks take Hodgson with 10th pick
OTTAWA – The Vancouver Canucks selected centre Cody Hodgson of the Brampton Battalion with the 10th overall pick in the the National Hockey League’s Entry Draft on Friday night.
“It feels great,” said Hodgson. “It was tough waiting through those first nine picks, but I was just hoping for the best. It didn’t really matter where I went. I think things worked out.”
Hodgson, 18, said he had spoken to Vancouver management on a number of occasions.
“I talked to them quite a few times before the draft. I got a good feeling from them when I met with their general manager and coaches.”
Hodgson, the seventh Ontario Hockey League player taken in a banner showing by the league, said he’s excited about the opportunity to play for a Canadian-based NHL club.
“There are only six Canadian teams, and I think it would be pretty special to have a chance to play for one of them. Hockey’s everything here, and you’re always in the spotlight, but I’m looking forward to that.”
Hodgson, a resident of Markham, Ont., who was rated No. 9 among North American-based skaters by the NHL’s Central Scouting service, far surpassed that ranking in the actual selections, given the eligibility of European-based skaters and goaltenders worldwide.
A first-round pick in the 2006 OHL Priority Selection, Hodgson, who led the Battalion in goals last season with 40, added 45 assists for 85 points in 68 games. He had 23 goals and 23 assists for 46 points in 63 games as a rookie in 2006-07. Hodgson has six goals and three assists for nine points in as many career playoff games.
“I think the Battalion did a great job helping me develop and get to where I am today,” said Hodgson.
He’s the fifth Battalion player taken in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft.
Defenceman Rostislav Klesla was chosen fourth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2000, and left winger Raffi Torres followed one pick later to the New York Islanders. Right winger Brent Burns was tabbed by the Minnesota Wild with the 20th pick in 2003, and left winger Wojtek Wolski was selected by the Colorado Avalanche with the 21st pick in 2004.
On Friday night, centre Steven Stamkos of the Sarnia Sting went first overall to the Tampa Bay Lightning, while defencemen Drew Doughty of the Guelph Storm, Zach Bogosian of the Peterborough Petes and Alex Pietrangelo of the Niagara IceDogs went with the second, third and fourth picks to the Los Angeles Kings, Atlanta Thrashers and St. Louis Blues respectively. Left winger Mikkel Boedker of the Kitchener Rangers was the Phoenix Coyotes’ choice at No. 8, and centre Josh Bailey of the Windsor Spitfires went ninth to the Islanders.
“It really shows the talent level of our league and shows how great our league is at developing players,” said Hodgson, a minor hockey teammate of Stamkos and Pietrangelo.
The second and final day of the NHL Entry Draft, featuring rounds two through seven, starts at 10 a.m. Saturday. The Battalion has three other players rated by Central Scouting. They are left winger Mike Lomas, 97th, and right winger Kyle DeCoste, 115th, among North American-based skaters, and Patrick Killeen, 15th among North American-based goaltenders.
