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Jeff Skinner: The young all-star

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By Josh Martin, Sports Editor

ast Friday night the NHL all-star

draft took place and I couldn’t

help but get a little dose of the
action and see what all of this hype was
about. So I hopped on my couch and
turned the old tube to TSN. I encountered
a number of things...first I recognized
the captains and assistant captains from
both teams on either side of the stage
representing their respective teams. Then
I waited to see where the Sedin twins
would end up (they were separated) and
in the process I found that other than the
annoying and dreaded Pierre Maguire
with his team of analysts and host James
Duthie calling everyone over to see what
they thought on the latest picks by either
Team Staal or Team Lidstrom, it was
quite entertaining, especially to see how
the players personalities off the ice. So I
continued to watch.

As players continued to be chosen

further into the draft from either team
I was all of a sudden struck with
astonishing news. An eighteen year-old
was there at the all-star draft getting
chosen from his teammate and captain
Eric Staal in the 11th round. Wait a
minute, did I hear that right? This guy
is my age, in the NHL, leads all rookies

16

 

with 40 points, and is taking part in the
NHL all-star game? Really? Wow. Cheers
to that.

Jeff Skinner is his name and he
belongs to the Carolina Hurricanes. This
guy broke the NHL record for youngest
player ever to appear at the league’s
annual showcase (18 years, 259 days)
which was previously held by the great
Steve Yzerman (18 years, 267 days) and
is a clear candidate for taking home the
Calder Trophy at the end of the season to
the player selected as the most proficient
in his first year of competition in the
National Hockey League. At such a
young age, he’s got nothing to lose.

The Markham Ontario native was
just handed the NHL rookie of the
month award for January after scoring
nine goals and five assists in 14 games.
He now has 18 goals, 22 assists and 40
points in 52 games played this season,

putting him at second spot in scoring on |

the Carolina Hurricanes, only behind
captain Eric Staal who has 52 points.
The young centerman was drafted in the
first round, seventh overall last June by
the Hurricanes and then in the following
September signed a three year entry level
contract worth 2.7 million dollars. Not
too bad, not too bad at all.

 

Hodgson makes his debut, and what a

showing it was
By David Hollinshead

fter being drafted 10" overall by
A« Vancouver Canucks in 2008,

it has been nothing but an uphill
battle for Cody Hodgson. After facing
injury after injury, the Canucks most
anticipated prospect in years finally not
only made his debut, but scored in only his
second NHL game.

“Tt’s an amazing feeling,” Hodgson
said. “I wish everybody playing hockey
could feel it.” After an injury to Canuck’s
center Alex Bolduc, Coach Alain Vigneault
tried several line combinations, but decided
to call up the versatile Hodgson, who can
also play on the penalty kill and power
play.

In his first game against the Dallas
Stars, Hodgson logged in 9:52 of ice
time with two shots and an even rating.
His debut wasn’t spectacular like say,

Lee Sweatt’s with his game winner, but

he played a solid game. In his next game
against Phoenix, Hodgson took the puck
the width of the ice, manoeuvring his way
through Phoenix defenders to snap a wrist
shot over Coyotes goalie Ilya Bryzgalov,
and finished the game with 11:27 ice

time with more time on the power play,
increasing his faceoff percentage from 22%
to 57%, and scoring on his only shot.

Hodgson has already displayed the
great vision, soft hands, and wrist shot

 

Cody Hudgson

that had Canucks fans drooling when
they drafted him. If he continues this
performance, he will probably be a shoo-
in to make the roster next year as he is
progressing nicely. Staying on the roster
this year might be asking too much.

The Canucks will need to clear salary ©
cap room when defenseman Sami Salo
comes back into the line-up (if he does)
and when Alex Edler returns from back
surgery for the playoffs. I suspect that
Vigneault also wants to give Hodgson a
shot at the Calder Trophy next year for
rookie of the year.

 

 

 

  

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