Former Battalion star, OHL Most Outstanding Player Cody Hodgson on comeback trail

The OHL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2009, Cody Hodgson is making a comeback.

A 33-year-old from Markham, Ont., Hodgson last played professionally in 2016 before being diagnosed with malignant hyperthermia, a muscle condition most commonly due to a mutation of the RYR-1 gene. The veteran of 328 NHL regular season games signed a PTO with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, top affiliate of the Nashville Predators on Wednesday, a step toward returning to game action for the veteran of 328 career NHL contests.

The second-highest point producer in the history of the North Bay/Brampton Battalion, Hodgson played four seasons in the OHL, amassing 243 points (114-129–243) in just 197 regular season games. Selected by the Troops in the first round (17th overall) of the 2006 OHL Priority Selection, Hodgson would do big things in green, earning the OHL’s Red Tilson Trophy as Most Outstanding Player in 2008-09 along with the William Hanley Trophy as the league’s Most Sportsmanlike Player. He also won gold medals for Canada in both the World Under-18 Hockey Championship as well as the World Junior Hockey Championship over the course of his major junior career. A former Battalion captain, Hodgson helped the Troops capture the Bobby Orr Trophy as Eastern Conference champions in 2009, piling up 31 points (11-20–31) over 21 playoff games that spring.

The Vancouver Canucks selected Hodgson 10th overall in the 2008 NHL Draft. He’s had his share of health struggles during his time as a pro as a result of his condition, but put up 142 points (64-78–142) over 328 regular season games between Vancouver, Buffalo and Nashville. He appeared in 12 postseason games during the 2011 NHL Playoffs as the Canucks reached the Stanley Cup Final.

In his time since originally retiring in 2017, Hodgson has worked with the Nashville Predators organization, coaching or their Little Preds Learn to Play Program.

Hodgson joins a Milwaukee club that currently sits atop the AHL’s Central Division with a record of 39-22-10-1.

Welcome back, Hodge 👊

We've signed Cody Hodgson to a PTO.#MILhockey | @MitchellAirport pic.twitter.com/6qHxzzb9QY

— Milwaukee Admirals (@mkeadmirals) January 17, 2024