Cody Hodgson Update: Back Is Almost 100% Healthy, But He May Miss Training Camp

When we last talked about Cody Hodgson earlier this week, Canucks GM Mike Gillis was finally revealing the true injury that has crippled the prized prospect for the better part of a year.

This mystery injury had created a gothic soap opera rife with innuendo and rumors about Hodgson's health, character, and relationship with the Canucks' organization.

On Thursday, September 9th, Cody Hodgson was supposed to undergo a medical evaluation. On Friday, September 10th, he was supposed to be available at a press conference prior to the start of rookie camp. This press conference was cancelled at the last minute by the Canucks.

The Vancouver Province is now reporting that they have learned from an inside source that Hodgson's medical evaluation revealed two things.

First, his back is close to being 100% for the first time since he injured it in July 2009.

Second, more medical evaluations need to be conducted to assess his progress before Hodgson will be cleared for contact.

After the setbacks of the last 14 months, both the Canucks and Hodgson are being extremely careful, unlike this time last year, when Hodgson apparently lied about his pain and Canucks' doctors took him at his word. The Province's inside source is stating it may be up to a month until he is cleared for contact.

Clearly, this rules him out for the rookie tournament which starts on Sunday, September 12th, but it also means that Cody Hodgson might miss training camp and the entire preseason.

So what does this mean for the Canucks?

First, it means that the third line spot alongside Raffi Torres and Manny Malhotra that was seemingly Hodgson's to lose is now up for grabs. Jordan Schroeder is the likely beneficiary of this in the long term.

However, with Alex Burrows also injured to start the season, someone else like Sergei Shirokov or Jannik Hansen may also benefit with a roster spot or increased ice time that otherwise wouldn't have been available, at least in the short term.

Second, it means that Cody Hodgson seems destined to start the year playing for the Manitoba Moose, the Canucks' AHL affiliate, most likely as their first line or second line center.

This wasn't the scenario I predicted for Hodgson's development, but playing 20+ minutes a night with plenty of special teams ice time can only be a good thing for someone who has only played 24 games last year. I only wish that Mike Keane was still playing for the Moose so that he could be a mentor and a daily example how to be a successful pro.

Canucks fans should expect to see Cody Hodgson with the big club sometime later on this year after he gets back up to game speed, either as an injury call up or as reinforcements for the playoffs.

While you may not get to see Cody Hodgson line up against the Calgary Flames this fall, you could still watch him play against the Flames' AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat. The Heat host the Moose in a doubleheader November 26th and 27th, and again on January 3rd and 4th.