Cody’s Back: The Saga Continues

 

Less than a day after sounding upbeat and chipper about his immediate future with his club, Vancouver Canucks’ top prospect Cody Hodgson was sent back down the rungs of the ladder. His injured back, which he said Thursday felt 100%, requires further medical testing and he will miss the Canucks’ Prospect camp this weekend.

So what’s next for Hodgson? And what’s next for the Canucks?

Hodgson was set to speak to the media this morning, assuming the results from his medical on Thursday were all fine. Well, the tests came back, and Hodgson’s media availability was called off this morning. He’s going to be going through more medical tests to determine if he’s cleared to play.

We’ve found out over this past week that Hodgson’s back problems related to a combination of a bulging disc and a torn back muscle, and a misdiagnosis on the latter by both the Canucks medical staff and Hodgson’s own medical advisors. This is turning into a nightmare for the young player, all before he has ever played a single, real NHL game.

I admit that I ragged on the kid pretty hard, as a diva and a malcontent. And now, truthfully I feel bad for doing so. It seems pretty obvious now that he has been hit by some astonishingly bad luck in the last year and the news appears to keep getting worse.

I have to ask – Will Cody Hodgson play this year? Will he have to miss more time as this saga continues to throw more wrenches into the machinery? Will Hodgson EVER play a game in the NHL?

To quote a reporter who I despise to the very core of my being… I have to at least ask the question.