"There's obvious stiffness and all the tension comes with it, but it's just my power — it's not there," said Hodgson.
"The quick-twitch muscle needs to regrow and I'm trying to get so I can explode again. That's the most difficult part. I see an opening and I just can't get to it. Once I'm going I'm fine and I have the top-end speed.
But the first two or three steps, there's no pop. The left leg has it, but with the right leg, there's no explosiveness yet."
over 2 years ago
Sean Zandberg
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Well shit, now he has me wondering about my quick-twitch muscle…
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
If there’s one thing I’ve never been equated to, it’s quick…….anything.
Seriously, if Hod(g)son’s hurting, he’s better off going down to Brampton.
I've seen enough to know that I've seen too much.
Disagree. If it’s just a temporary injury slowing him down then he’s better off working thru it up here so that coaches can see firsthand what he’s capable of when healthy. He’ll need to get there fairly soon, tho, so that he can play at his best for at least a few games before the final decision on him has to be made.
Doesn’t sound like it’s an injury any more, just his muscles need to bulk up again. Sounds like a conditioning issue, which I would assume can be dealt with within a month.
by Beantown Canuck on Sep 25, 2009 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions
you know you have a good problem when it comes down to either an elite prospect, or an elite KHL player..
I caught some of HockeyCentral @ Noon with Kypreos and Milliard today, and they said that Hodgson is a lock to make the team. I guess that shows what these Ontario-ites(?) really know about the Western Conference. Obviously, they’re not watching the games and noticing that Hodgson clearly isn’t ready for a full NHL season.
OR, his back is an issue and management believes it will improve as will Hodgson’s play.
by Sean Zandberg on Sep 25, 2009 2:58 PM PDT up reply actions
Hodgson is saying it’s his leg, not his back that’s the prob, so presumably the back issue has cleared up and the residual prob is some weakness in one leg. Fast and slow twich nerve fibers don;t really change overnight, so if the one leg is less explosive it’s either pure strength that’s down or it’s minor nerve damage that has not yet fully healed, as from a pinched nerve in the back.
CH is young & strong so he oughtta be able to strengthen the leg in short order. Moreover, there are off-ice tests for these sorts of things that can tell you just how strong and how quick each leg is. The coaches will already, I presume, have had Gagner look into this.
I think it may be that they think, or have reason to think, that the Canucks will keep him up for that 9 games we are allowed to make a decision on him.
(Was reading on Second City that they sent Beach back to Junior, without doing the 9 game thing….just for comparison)
TSN did a similar story I think.
If its a nerve and needs to come back, I see no problem keeping him on the roster as the press box forward, drawing him in once that quick 1st step comes back.
You can see the talent and the way he thinks the game.
He just isn’t getting there fast enough.
Shirokov has another good game tomorrow and he is a lock too.
It is so nice to have a management team that gives us so many positive stories to talk about…not like the old days where pretty well everyone made the team…
vancitydan
From Gillis today:
“He hasn’t shown enough in this camp to prove that he’s ready to play at this level,” Gillis said today as he watched his team practise at UBC. “I don’t think that’s criticism. I think it’s an assessment of fact.”Hodgson has 2 more games to prove he belongs.
Way to go Gillisgan
Publicly call out the 19 y/o kid that is the best hope for this team’s future.
The statement of “fact” is that he has been injured and is weeks behind the rest of the players in this camp as far as conditioning and timing, not to mention that he is playing with virtually all of these guys for the first time, and is obviously still not even 100% healed.
Gillisgan is looking for an excuse to send him back, save a year of his contract and make room on the roster, but imo this will not help Hodgson’s development.
I'll take honesty...
…every time. It’s not like Hodgson (or anyone else on the team) doesn’t know how he’s played so far: no respect to be gained with a either a “No comment” or a “He’s doing fine!”
One of my favourite features of Brian Burke is that he stands behind his player come hell or high water, which is great to hear from your boss, but you just know when he’s spreading the BS and wonder when he isn’t…
I agree on Burke
but I think, especially publicly, that a vote of confidence is in order for a 19 y/o coming off an injury.
He could have just said that he may not have recovered well enough fast enough for them to get a good enough look at him in top form to properly evaluate him, but instead I think he did damage to the kid’s confidence that’s already hampering him.
GIve the kid a freakin break, tell him he’s doing fine and to just go have fun and work hard and everything will take care of itself.
Managers that think all personnel respond well to added pressure (as if he’s not under enough already) need to develop their people skills and learn that sometimes a pat on the back pays 10x the dividends of a kick in the ass, especially when somebody’s already down.
You’re talking management 101 there. You may have a valid point. There’s a time for honesty and there a time for tact. Right now I think tact is in order.
by Sean Zandberg on Sep 26, 2009 12:43 PM PDT up reply actions
Can one not be tactful and honest? Hod(g)son’s play hasn’t been up to snuff.
I've seen enough to know that I've seen too much.
I think he could have left that part out and been a little more vague. Just say “he’s struggling but he still has a couple more games and we’re anticipating seeing what he can do”
by Sean Zandberg on Sep 26, 2009 12:48 PM PDT up reply actions
If the kid’s going to stew because MG called him out publically, then I think he’s got a bit of growing up to do.
Braces for response.
I've seen enough to know that I've seen too much.
@Smoboy41: He’s 19! He’s a kid! Just give him a spanking and send him to bed early.
Seriously though…he’s a kid. Nurturing with some tact is in order.
by Sean Zandberg on Sep 26, 2009 1:24 PM PDT up reply actions
Exactly
wtf is to be gained by publicly criticizing him?
You want to take him aside and tell him he needs to do more to stay that’s one thing (though I still think you do so with encouragement instead), but calling him out in the media is bush imo.
Not to start a flame-athon with you, Yoata, but are you sure your animus towards Gillis isn’t influencing your opinion.
I've seen enough to know that I've seen too much.
I don't have
animus towards Gillis, I just don’t understand all the faith in him.
What’s he actually done?
And on a side note, why does he always look hung over/still drunk?
Haha, I think he enjoys Spiced Rum and Coke methinks. Great taste!
by Sean Zandberg on Sep 26, 2009 9:01 PM PDT up reply actions
According to the Sun:
Hodgson will skate on a line Saturday with Michael Grabner and Mason
Raymond.
Methinks a message is being sent to Cody that the leg needs to miraculously become a non-issue. First, Gillis makes his own comment on the matter to that effect. Then, Hodgson gets lined up alongside two of the fastest skaters he’ll ever see.
If I had to speculate – or even if I didn’t! – I’d say that the team is wondering if the leg issue isn’t just a mental block by a young player, and they’re gonna try a little tough love to fix it.
One of two things can happen:
1. it works; or
2. it doesn’t, in which case they can back off the pressure afterwards and nothing lost.
That 19 yr old kid could well find himself in a Stanley Cup final this year. We sure hope so, and so does he, so he might as well get used to the pressure here. He’s handled it before in junior and in the AHL playoffs and it’s brought out his best. I think he welcomes it; some guys fold, others focus.
If the team thought he couldn’t handle the pressure cuz he’s only 19 then he would never make the team and this whole preseason has been a farce for him. Neither the Canucks nor Hodgson think that.
Right
he’s already under a lot of pressure.
Why add more?
Cut him some damn slack instead, he’s obviously not 100%.
FWIW, research these days underscores that cutting someone extra slack and going soft on them actually undermines their confidence. They can see when they’re being babied and conclude that they must not be that good if their mentors won’t even criticize them.
Interestingly, this effect surfaces as early as the primary grades. So if you wanna kill someone’s confidence, a good way to do it is by going too soft on them.
I bet if you asked Cody what he himself wants, his answer would be that he prefers the blunt honesty, good or bad, and the chance to improve. He’s getting both at present. Think what it would do to him instead to be cut some slack, then some more, then some more, then … just cut.
Sure, challenge him to his face, not to the media. That’s all I was referring to
by Sean Zandberg on Sep 26, 2009 5:16 PM PDT up reply actions
Canuck fans are funny. (we Are All Canucks!)
Yes, Gillis said that.
He also said the guy is coming off injury, and will have a chance in the final two games.
If he truly wanted to send him back, he would have, like the Hawks have done with Beach already.
I agree with you Thurs, nothing wrong with honesty.
Burke used to say great things about a guy and cut him a few weeks later.
vancitydan
I dunno. The kid’s going to play with an even bigger gun pointed at his head tonight. Yay?
The joys of trying to crack a deep roster.
by Sean Zandberg on Sep 26, 2009 12:46 PM PDT up reply actions
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