This isn't a matter of Hodgson > Raymond it's Raymond/Hodgson/Hansen > Glass or Oreo/Raymond/Hansen. Either way the line is going to be given matchups it can handle at home, so roll the dice and see if that line can contribute offensively. I like it.
I'm suprised so many of you are this quick to write Cody off. He looked fine in limited minutes playing a role that he has probably never played in his life. I would not be suprised at all for him to look much better playing regular minutes with better linemates.
Hodgson's evaluation can't be written before the games have even started. This is his chance to prove that he can be effective. So he wasn't here in the regular season- blame it on the cap. Clearly Gillis believes that Hodgson should have been the solution but as we know the cap dictated otherwise. Give Hodgson his two games. Tambellini shouldn't be in the line-up. He's a good luck charm but he is ineffective.
Without Manny, that third line isn't a checking line. Torres wasn't that effective with Manny in the line up anyway so I don't know how effective he will be without him, whereas Hansen will still play well defensively but Manny was the rock. Lapierre isn't good enough to carry a line with those two so that leaves Raymond in the role. He doesn't have the experience to run a checking line on his own. Rather than risking this line against the Hawks' top line, we will probably run Kesler's against Toews, which is fine but it takes a toll on our secondary scoring. This is where the Hodgson experiment comes in. If Hodgson/Raymond/Hansen can produce offensively, we are somewhere. The thing that killed us last year was the lack of secondary scoring and now that we've got three capable offensive players with determination, we can produce goals from the third line, especially if it's matched up with the Hawks' third line and against Leddy/Campoli. Hodgson has the talent to create offense alongside Raymond and Hansen.. the only question is if he can harness his talent properly.
It's a risk to put Hodgson in but there isn't any other choice for the first two games. If it pays off, we're golden because a fourth line of Torres-Lapierre-Glass/Oreskovich is deadly on the forecheck. If Hodgson pans out, we can effectively roll four lines and that is what I think the logic is behind calling Hodgson up.
The only question I have is whether Hodgson lines up at C or at W. Preferrably we would line him up on C because that is his natural position but he hasn't faced top line centres at the national league level so I would say Raymond should play C. I don't think we will have to worry about Hodgson defensively. While the Hawks have some great offensive defensemen, I don't think the Hawks will try to match Keith/Seabrook up against Hodgson because then we will counter with the Sedins against Campbell/Hjalmarsson or Leddy/Campoli and that is not in their best interest. That leaves Campbell/Campoli. Campbell is a great offensive defenseman so we may see troubles from him against a LW Hodgson but he shouldn't have much troubles from Campoli. Fortunately for the third line they will probably have Edler/Ehrhoff behind them, if not Ballard/Salo, which eases the pressure off of them. Without a weak pairing for the Hawks to exploit, their aggressive pace can be stifled by our excellent positioning and puck mobility.
They do have forecheckers. Brouwer, Bickell, Dowell, and Pisani will put pressure on our defense.
Last edited by AmazingNuck: 04-11-2011 at 04:43 PM.
Hodgson's evaluation can't be written before the games have even started. This is his chance to prove that he can be effective. So he wasn't here in the regular season- blame it on the cap. Clearly Gillis believes that Hodgson should have been the solution but as we know the cap dictated otherwise. Give Hodgson his two games. Tambellini shouldn't be in the line-up. He's a good luck charm but he is ineffective.
Without Manny, that third line isn't a checking line. Torres wasn't that effective with Manny in the line up anyway so I don't know how effective he will be without him, whereas Hansen will still play well defensively but Manny was the rock. Lapierre isn't good enough to carry a line with those two so that leaves Raymond in the role. He doesn't have the experience to run a checking line on his own. Rather than risking this line against the Hawks' top line, we will probably run Kesler's against Toews, which is fine but it takes a toll on our secondary scoring. This is where the Hodgson experiment comes in. If Hodgson/Raymond/Hansen can produce offensively, we are somewhere. The thing that killed us last year was the lack of secondary scoring and now that we've got three capable offensive players with determination, we can produce goals from the third line, especially if it's matched up with the Hawks' third line and against Leddy/Campoli. Hodgson has the talent to create offense alongside Raymond and Hansen.. the only question is if he can harness his talent properly.
It's a risk to put Hodgson in but there isn't any other choice for the first two games. If it pays off, we're golden because a fourth line of Torres-Lapierre-Glass/Oreskovich is deadly on the forecheck. If Hodgson pans out, we can effectively roll four lines and that is what I think the logic is behind calling Hodgson up.
ding ding ding. winner.
well said.
you need a goal scored - send out the raymond-hodgson-hansen line.
you need a body smashed - send out the torres-lapierre-glass/oreo line. and ideally, you're able to get that '4th line' out there against guys like Seabrook/Keith/Campbell...the guys you REALLY want to attack physically.
Without Manny, that third line isn't a checking line. Torres wasn't that effective with Manny in the line up anyway so I don't know how effective he will be without him, whereas Hansen will still play well defensively but Manny was the rock. Lapierre isn't good enough to carry a line with those two so that leaves Raymond in the role. He doesn't have the experience to run a checking line on his own. Rather than risking this line against the Hawks' top line, we will probably run Kesler's against Toews, which is fine but it takes a toll on our secondary scoring.
I actually fully expect Toews to be matched up against the Sedins if Bolland is out. I think the Sedins would feast on their other centers. That would leave Kesler out against one of Hossa/Kane/Sharp though.
If Toews line is matched up against the Sedins, I think it'd be good for both teams personally. Chicago will be able to be a bit more offensive, but I don't think that first line has enough size really to hold off the cycle. Should be interesting. I guess it'll depend on which line is in the offensive end.
I dont mind the Canucks recalling players if they are going to use them, but if they end up just sitting in the press box, I think this is a poor move by GM, Gillis.
In the past the Canucks have been very fair in the playoffs and only recalling players from the Moose if theyre going to use them.
I dont mind the Canucks recalling players if they are going to use them, but if they end up just sitting in the press box, I think this is a poor move by GM, Gillis.
In the past the Canucks have been very fair in the playoffs and only recalling players from the Moose if theyre going to use them.
Where do you get the impression they aren't going to be used?
I dont mind the Canucks recalling players if they are going to use them, but if they end up just sitting in the press box, I think this is a poor move by GM, Gillis.
In the past the Canucks have been very fair in the playoffs and only recalling players from the Moose if theyre going to use them.
Judging by the practice lines, both players will be in the lineup for game 1. The only reason Oreskovich didn't finish the season with the Canucks was because of the cap.
Judging by the practice lines, both players will be in the lineup for game 1. The only reason Oreskovich didn't finish the season with the Canucks was because of the cap.
And I'd extend that to include Hodgson.
I bet if we had the space, Hodgson would've played some decent minutes on the 3rd line down the stretch.
Well said, Fleet Foxes. In a game situation, I'm not too worried. A couple bad shifts by Hodgson, and AV will quickly switch him with Lapierre, and then Tamby will come in for Game 2. That's the worst-case scenario. Me, I think he'll surprise.
Bolduc is $500,000
Hodgson is $850,000 (plus bonuses)
Considering how close the Canucks were to the cap it wouldn't surprise me if that $350,000 difference was too much.
No, they had plenty of room under their LTIR exemptions (room for about $2.1 million in annual salary) prior to Bolduc being called up. And that's after accounting for Oreskovich being recalled and Bieksa being activated off of LTIR which occurred 1 and 2 days after Bolduc's recall respectively.
Ultimately, Hodgson could have been recalled under emergency provisions and there would have been plenty of cap space and he wouldn't have even counted against the 4 call up limit. I didn't think much of it at the time because I didn't expect he'd be back with the team until the Moose were eliminated. But if he was a serious consideration for the playoffs, they probably should have gotten him some game action down the stretch.
i wanna see if cody hodgson can rekindle his wjc days where he was clutch at times. scoring those timely goals. sure he's slow but hes got 2 speedsters beside him and it could work.. the playmaking ability of cody, forecheck of hansen and raymond.
Hodgson kind of reminds me of the Sedins when they came into the league: sees the game well but doesn't have speed or size to physically use that mental capability.
The interesting thing about putting him on a line with Raymond and Hansen is those three players might complement each other; focusing on the aspects of the game they excel at and allowing their linemates to do the things they are not very good at. Raymond's speed and shot + Hansen's forcheck and tenacity will allow Hodgson to do his thing as a defensively conscious playmaker.
Hodgson kind of reminds me of the Sedins when they came into the league: sees the game well but doesn't have speed or size to physically use that mental capability.
The interesting thing about putting him on a line with Raymond and Hansen is those three players might complement each other; focusing on the aspects of the game they excel at and allowing their linemates to do the things they are not very good at. Raymond's speed and shot + Hansen's forcheck and tenacity will allow Hodgson to do his thing as a defensively conscious playmaker.
Hopefully it wouldn't take that long for Hodgson to develop, thats just too long for someone who is not a projected prospect.
the ultimate irony of a young player like Cody coming in and playing great against the Hawks would be that it was exactly what the Hawks did to us with their rookies a couple of years ago
"CODY JUST DOESN'T KNOW ANY BETTER, JIM! HE DOESN'T FEEL THE PRESSURE! HE JUST DOESN'T KNOW ANY BETTER!"
I was listening to the TEAM today for a bit and I couldn't believe how many people were freaking out about putting a guy with *only 8 games of NHL experience* into the playoffs. Anyone remember when Jannik Hansen made his Canucks debut in the 2006-2007 playoffs without having played a single NHL game? He ended up playing in 10 out of 12 playoff games and I don't remember him ever really looking out of place (well actually I guess he was the one who distracted Luongo by getting creamed right before the series-winning goal against Anaheim, but I put that one on Lou ) . As another example, Justin Abdelkader played 10 playoff games for the Red Wings in 2009 when he only had 4 NHL regular season games under his belt. I would be surprised if Wings fans were wringing their hands about that decision as much as we have been about Hodgson.
Hodgson can really shine in this stint, after watching his interview it pumped me up even more, boy is he excited. I think he will play up to the level that will be expected or required of him. Can't freaking wait till puck drop.
the ultimate irony of a young player like Cody coming in and playing great against the Hawks would be that it was exactly what the Hawks did to us with their rookies a couple of years ago
"CODY JUST DOESN'T KNOW ANY BETTER, JIM! HE DOESN'T FEEL THE PRESSURE! HE JUST DOESN'T KNOW ANY BETTER!"
It would be my dream come true. It really would.
Gotta be realistic, what are the odds of that happening? He didn't even dominate in the AHL level just yet, what makes you think he can play well against Chicago?
anyone remember that inexperienced rookie kid called like pernell karl subbie-something stepping into a key role in the habs miracle run last year?
or that time when the wings drew on their vast wealth of nhl-ready prospects to push them over the hump in the playoffs? (ie. every time).
it's not as though Cody didn't look alright in his brief stints with the big club manning the 4th line C spot. and it's not as though Hodgson doesn't have a pretty clear track record as a winner...
i appologize for the pic heavy post. but felt like giving a refresher.
I was listening to the TEAM today for a bit and I couldn't believe how many people were freaking out about putting a guy with *only 8 games of NHL experience* into the playoffs. Anyone remember when Jannik Hansen made his Canucks debut in the 2006-2007 playoffs without having played a single NHL game? He ended up playing in 10 out of 12 playoff games and I don't remember him ever really looking out of place (well actually I guess he was the one who distracted Luongo by getting creamed right before the series-winning goal against Anaheim, but I put that one on Lou ) . As another example, Justin Abdelkader played 10 playoff games for the Red Wings in 2009 when he only had 4 NHL regular season games under his belt. I would be surprised if Wings fans were wringing their hands about that decision as much as we have been about Hodgson.
Another example was Darren Helm playing for the Wings during their 2008 cup run. He had 31 points in 67 games in the AHL during the 07-08 season and played in 18 games for the Wings averaging 7:30 per game and put up 4 points.
Yeah he plays a more speed game but the point I'm trying to make is that it's been done before where a player comes straight from the AHL (while not dominating there) and plays decent minutes on the bottom six for a championship team.
) . As another example, Justin Abdelkader played 10 playoff games for the Red Wings in 2009 when he only had 4 NHL regular season games under his belt. I would be surprised if Wings fans were wringing their hands about that decision as much as we have been about Hodgson.
