Catching up with Canucks prospects

I like Cody Hodgson, but he better not be the next coming of Sami Salo.

From Ben Kuzma (Vancouver Province):

When Cody Hodgson fractured a toe on his right foot while blocking a shot during an OHL game in Sudbury on Feb. 12, the Vancouver Canucks prospect wasn’t concerned because X-rays at the time revealed that it was more likely just a deep bone bruise. Not so.

When the pain persisted for three weeks, the Brampton Battalion centre had another X-ray and this one showed a hairline fracture that will keep the first-round draft choice sidelined until the OHL playoffs. Despite playing with a broken toe, Hodgson had managed 17 points (8-9) in that span and has 20 points in 13 games since returning from a bulging disc in his lower back that kept him sidelined more than four months.

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Could Jordan Schroeder join the Manitoba Moose for their stretch drive?

From Ken Wiebe (Winnipeg Sun):

Although there has been no official word, there’s been plenty of speculation that Schroeder (who helped Team USA win gold at the world junior hockey championship in Saskatoon) plans to leave college after his sophomore season is complete and he could also join the Moose for the stretch drive.

Arniel isn’t sure how many players will be brought in or how many will get into the lineup as the season wears on.

“We’ve talked to Vancouver and we’ll talk some more about whether we’re going to bring all the prospects inhere or just a few in here,” Arniel said before his team departed for a two-game road trip against the Grand Rapids Griffins.

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With 3 games left in their regular season, Kevin Connauton now shares the Vancouver Giants franchise record for most points by a defenseman.

From Steve Ewen (Vancouver Province):

Kevin Connauton, who finished a plus-5, had an assist on the Gallagher marker and now has 67 points on the season, tying him with Brent Regner’s 2008-09 effort for most points in a season by a Giants blueliner.

His 67 points place him 2nd in scoring among all WHL defensemen and 2nd among all WHL rookie scorers. Considering the other defensemen that have suited up for the Giants in the past – Andrei Meszaros, Jonathan Blum and Cody Franson among others – that’s quite an accomplishment for the Canucks’ 3rd round draft pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.