A Focus on NHLs Haliburton connection – Duchene and Hodgson redux

Hodgson sent to Moose and Duchene scores in home opener

Matt Duchene seems to be answering some questions re the sophomore jinx.
The Haliburton Hurricane scored a goal in a 3-2 win over the Black-NOTS
in the season opener. 

Terrance Gavan - Managing Editor PTE.com

Two players seeking solace from the NHLs much too vaunted exhibition season.

   Two players trying to put proper perspective on a preseason laced with challenge and questions.

   Two players who cut their teeth in Haliburton’s solid, celebrated and skill-inducing minor hockey system.

   Two players intertwined and connected through Stan Butler’s highly successful, NHL-churning Brampton Battalion major junior franchise.

   One of those players - Haliburton’s Hurricane Matt Duchene - will be centering the number two line of the Colorado Avalanche in his second NHL season.

   And the other - Haliburton cottager Cody Hodgson - will be attempting to disengage himself from a logistical morass created by nagging back problems and some equally bedeviling public relation hassles with his parent club, the Vancouver Canucks. A little more on Cody later.

   Duchene enters his second pro campaign trying to assuage a peculiar devil known by its Greek derivative as Sophomorus Cursus.

   That’s an apocryphal little Beelzebub that pundits like to haul out of Lucifer’s closet whenever a rookie big leaguer has surpassed expectations during their first campaign.

   For Duchene, that precociousness allowed him to be named as one of three candidates for the Rookie of the Year honors in the Calder Cup sweepstakes in the 2009-10 season.

   That, plus the fact that the third overall 2009 entry draft phenom Duchene led all rookies in scoring – a list that included number one pick John Tavares – has some fans and even more pundits worried about the Avs disappointing exhibition campaign (2-5).

   Overplump expectations?

   Maybe, but there’s no doubt that the decision to keep 18-year-old centers Duchene and Ryan O’Reilly should pay dividends this year. Both had breakout rookie campaigns and they come into 2010-11 knowing that they belong in the show; and with the Avs, a focused and multi-faceted young club.

   Avs Denver Post beat writer Adrian Dater has been critical of the Avs overall play in the preseason, citing disappointing play of Duchene, O’Reilly and some of the more seasoned veterans.

   “Well, the final cuts were made today (Oct 3) and players seemed relieved the preseason is now over,” wrote Dater on Sunday. “The results on the ice (2-5, 11 goals scored) were less than stellar.
But Matt Duchene and Chris Stewart, at least, aren’t worried about that, or the near-term future.”

   Dater posted an interview with Duchene this week on his Youtube blog.

   In the short dressing room interview Duchene told Dater that it was still early and that he had every confidence that the team will be ready for their home opener tonight (Thursday Sept 7) versus the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Black Hawks.

   “We’re definitely not happy with (our preseason play),” Duchene told Dater. “We gotta’ be better and we will be better, and I think everyone’s looking forward to Thursday night, and I know that it’s hard to turn that switch on but I think this group can do it.

   “It’s one of those things; you’re getting back into playing after in a game for the first time in three or four months and that’s the longest I’ve had off of hockey for a long time; and you know, it’s just polishing up and practice and getting used to it and now that Thursday’s on the way, everything means something now. It’s going to be good. And getting back, even if we got off to a slow start, I’m confident that this team will be able to battle through and we’ll come out of it.”

    We’ve heard it all before.

   In fact, when Duchene was battling with a slow start last season, pundits and a round table of talking TSN heads opined that maybe another year back with Butler and the Brampton Battalion would have been better for the young third overall 2009 draft pick.

   When questioned about that, Duchene never wavered.

   He pointed to the fact that he was getting good chances and he told anyone that cared to listen that he felt confident that if he just kept playing his game and keeping those quick feet moving that things would turn around and that he would acclimate to the bigger bodies, offensive timing, the pro flow, and the better goaltending.

   And how’d that turn out?

   Duchene ended last season with a flourish, placing third in Avs scoring – 24 goals and 31 assists for 55 points - behind teammates Paul Stastny (79 pts) and Chris Stewart (65).

   Now true believers in the sophomore jinx are wondering if Duchene can up the ante when it really counts.

   Again, we refer to another former rookie Stevie Stamkos – erstwhile Tampa Bay Lightning superstar and last year’s co-winner of the Maurice Richard trophy (with Sid Crosby) for most goals at 51 – who shook off any premonition of the lurking sophomore shudders with a vengeance.

   Matt Duchene has said that he would be happy with another solid season.

   Now, what’s a solid season for Matt Duchene?

   That’s the really pressing question. Because Matt’s take on success is surpassing.

   Knowing Duchene, and his penchant for hard work, his preference for setting stringent standards, and his innate belief in his talents and potential, he may already have sights tuned on Stamkos’s superb sophomore season.

   Duchene is a team-first player and always has been, but if the success of the Avs rolls with his own personal output - and there are many pundits who believe that the Avs success this year hinges upon the success and play of both Stastny and Duchene – well, make no mistake that Duchene will be ready to slide into a leadership role.

Hodgson is starting the season with Manitoba Moose. "He'll be "Back

   Meanwhile, Cody Hodgson is attempting to fully immerse himself in the show, and is trying very hard to place any rancor that might have churned in the wake of Vancouver Canucks admission that they had misdiagnosed Hodgson’s back problems. Gary Roberts, former player and now fitness guru, told the Canucks training staff that the bulk of Hodgson’s problems rested not with a bulging disc, but with a muscle tear.

   Hodgson came prepared for the full training camp, was placed on a low impact squad of walking wounded for the first week, and then made a somewhat startling intro to the regular preseason.

   Pain free for the first time in 14 months, Hodgson turned some heads during the final week of preseason play.

   In a Vancouver Province article that appeared shortly after the final cuts were posted some were surprised to see that Hodgson wasn’t packing his bags for Winnipeg and the AHLs Moose.
   “After Alain Vigneault recently wondered aloud if Hodgson would be better off playing 18-20 minutes with the Manitoba Moose rather than nine to 10 with the Vancouver Canucks, the centre of attention wasn't shipped to the minors Sunday,” said the Province report. “A sign of interesting times or just more time for the coveted first-round pick to practice his game at this level and impress the coach?”

   Vigneault said Sunday, "I think every day that Cody has been on the ice with the regular group he has improved. He seems to have more pop in his legs.”
   Hodgson didn’t score a point in four preseason games, but as the Province reported, “the 10th overall pick in the 2008 NHL entry draft had nine shots and looked more like a prospect that a project Friday in a 4-2 win at Anaheim. He read plays better, kept up better and had a better grasp of what to do and where to do when he didn't have the puck.  Maybe he needs a longer look this week. Maybe not.”

   “I know as much as you guys," said Hodgson, 20. “Obviously, I want to stay here as long as I can and it doesn't matter. I want to play hockey again and it doesn't matter if it's here or in Manitoba.
   "Just being back on the ice and being able to skate again — it seems like a small thing, but to be able to shoot and pass makes you smile," he added. "I feel more and more comfortable every game. I don't want to say progressing, but I feel I'm getting better every game and more used to things and getting up to speed and staying in sync with everybody.
   "I'm being involved and getting to the spots and I'm learning a lot from these guys.”

   The Canucks play their season opener on Saturday versus the Kings, televised on CBC.

   Like Duchene, Hodgson has a peculiar knack for surpassing expectations.

   Will be interesting to see how both players progress this year.

   McKecks hot stove league will be following both players with interest.

   In between beating themselves up with live coverage of the Leafs on 52-inch screens filled with “barely living color.”

   Go Habs!