Hodgson gets selection camp call

BRAMPTON, Ont. – Cody Hodgson has been invited to the Canadian national junior team’s selection camp, but whether the ailing Brampton Battalion centre will be able to attend is up in the air.
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rHodgson is one of 12 Ontario Hockey League players among a total of 36 named Wednesday to the camp, to be held Dec. 12-16 at Regina. Canada is one of 10 teams set to compete in the World Junior Championship at Regina and Saskatoon from Dec. 26 to Jan. 4.
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rHodgson’s camp participation isn’t assured, as he has yet to play for the Battalion since being returned to the club by the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League on Sept. 29. Hampered by a bulging disc in his back suffered in July training, Hodgson has practised with the Troops while continuing his rehabilitation under the direction of trainer Binne Brouwer. No date has been set for Hodgson’s return to action.
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rBrad Pascall, Hockey Canada’s senior director of men’s national teams, said in a media conference call that he has been in regular contact with Stan Butler, Battalion director of hockey operations and head coach, regarding Hodgson’s status.
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r“Our understanding is that he is coming along and practising with contact with the Battalion. We hear he is progressing and things are moving along. From our side, the anticipation is that he will be ready to participate at the camp.”
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rSaid Butler: “I’m happy that Cody has been named to the roster. I know he’s working extremely hard, and hopefully he’ll be ready to go.”
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rHodgson, a 19-year-old resident of Markham, Ont., who attended the junior team’s August development camp at Saskatoon, is one of seven returning players from the team that won gold at Ottawa in January.
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rHe led the tournament in scoring with five goals and 11 assists for 16 points in six games and was named to the all-star team as Canada captured a fifth consecutive championship. The country also won five straight titles from 1993 to 1997.
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rCanadian head coach Willie Desjardins, who holds the same position with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League, said Hodgson’s performance at Ottawa got him named to the camp despite his not having played in the OHL this season.
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r“Cody gets the benefit of the doubt coming into the camp. But he’s like everybody else; he needs to be ready to play when the event starts. He’s a special player, and we know that, and I think he’s working hard to get ready for the tournament.”
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rBattalion defenceman Matt Clark wasn’t named to the selection camp. Clark, 19, attended the summer development camp and played in the opener of the two-game OHL segment of the Canada-Russia Super Series in November.