Hodgson making impressive debut in Brampton

By Aaron Bell

Going in to the OHL Priority Selection last May, Stan Butler knew that his club had some big skates to fill.

Wojtek Wolski, the club’s first round pick in 2002, had a spectacular season, winning the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL’s top player. He graduated as the team’s all-time leading scorer and left a big hole in the lineup.

Butler doesn’t expect to replace Wolski with one player, especially not a rookie, but Cody Hodgson has looked like another special player throughout the pre-season.

Hodgson, the 17th overall pick in the draft in May, leads the Battalion in scoring win the pre-season with two goals and seven points in three games. He has been playing with sophomore Matt Smyth and veteran Luke Lynes and says that he has kept his game simple throughout the pre-season.

“I’ve played on the same line with Matt Smyth in all three games,” Hodgson told the Brampton Guardian. “He can really skate. I just give him the puck. Luke Lynes can really shoot so I just give him the puck.”

With seven veterans away at NHL training camps, Hodgson is one of several rookies that has benefited from the extra ice time.

“This put them in situations they normally wouldn’t see during the season,” Battalion assistant coach Kelly Harper said. “It was a chance for them to show the coaches what they are capable of.”

Harper admitted that the coaches have been very impressed with their first round pick.

“It’s rare to see a young player that complete,” Harper said. “He plays well in all three zones.”

Hodgson played with the Markham Waxers midgets last year, leading the team in scoring with 27 goals and 51 points in 51 games despite being a year younger than most of his teammates and competitors. Joe Cornacchia, his coach last year, was impressed by Hodgson’s drive to be successful.

“Anytime you get a kid with his talents and his abilities and with his desire if he continues to improve the way he’s improving he will be a bona fide NHL star,” Cornacchia said.

Scouts loved Hodgson’s determination to get to the puck and that he was very difficult to knock off of it when he had it. They were also impressed by his responsible play in his own end.

“He’s been a guy who has had success throughout his minor hockey career,” Butler said. “He was the youngest guy on the midget team that won the OMHA championship. They lost in the All-Ontario finals, but he was voted the most valuable player.”

Hodgson admits that he wasn’t sure if the OHL was the right choice for him. He was happy to be selected by Brampton so that he could continue to live at home and go to his home high school in Unionville.

“My mother wanted me to stay at home because my brother was leaving home this year to go to Brock (University),” Hodgson said.

Now that he has settled into his first OHL camp, Hodgson is looking forward to the challenge of succeeding in the OHL.

“I love playing in intense games,” Hodgson said. “It drives me to play even better. I love to compete. If there’s a challenge, I want to meet it and beat it.”