Faceoff Factor

Prospect Profiles: Cody Hodgson & Michael Del Zotto

Jesse Marshall | NHL Entry Draft

Jun 12, 12:16 PM | Hype this story!

Cody Hodgson – C – Brampton Battalion (OHL) – 5’11 – 182lbs – Shoots R – Feb. 18, 1990 – Markham, ONT

Cody Hodgson is a quiet killer.

He doesn’t have the flash or the flare that some of the better offensive players do. He doesn’t even really stick out on the ice that much. He doesn’t have size that makes him a dominant physical presence and he isn’t the most outspoken player in the world.

But, he’s effective. His vision is where he makes his killing and he’s a very mature player in every zone. Cody Hodgson is a student of the game. He’s very coachable. He is the type of kid that can change on the fly after you tell him to.

Hodgson’s sense of where the puck is heading allows him to plan beforehand. His vision enables him to find open teammates and open spots in the ice. His decision making is lightning fast and he can skate with the best of them.

Hodgson has a keen sense of the when’s and where’s of hockey. He consistently racks up points in a stealth manner by using his smarts and total understanding of the game to get the puck away from danger and consistently go where the puck is heading.

His prowess in the faceoff circle is uncontested among OHL forwards. His defensive game is complete and he’s a fantastic penalty killer.

Hodgson is one of the most intriguing prospects in this draft. He doesn’t play with the flair or the explosiveness of some big-time forwards, but he’s the real deal, and he’s dynamic.

There’s no doubt that Hodgson will pay a huge dividend to any team that drafts him. You have to appreciate his full game for how young he is.

2007/08 Regular Season Statistics: 68GP – 40G – 45A – 85Pts – +15 – 36PIM
2007/08 Playoff Statistics: 5GP – 5G – 0A – 5Pts – 2PIM

Michael Del Zotto – D – Oshawa Generals (OHL) – 6’0 – 203lbs – Shoots L – June 24, 1990 – Stouffville, ONT

There probably isn’t a defenseman in this class that has a higher offensive upside than Michael Del Zotto does. His poise with the puck and his passing abilities are above and beyond what’s normal for a defenseman of his age. He’s a wizard at making crisp, tape to tape passes, and from the point, his shot is consistently on net and he has fantastic control of where it goes.

What he has in the offensive zone, however, he lacks much of defensively. His decision making is questionable and his over-zealousness can cost him positioning.

Del Zotto is, in no shorter term, an offensive defenseman.

However, there is a rather underrated aspect of his game that’s slightly unusual for a guy that is so gung-ho offensively. His physicality is consistently a big part of his game.

Del Zotto loves to hit and he does it well. He’s no stranger to the hard work and physicality in the boards. However, like his want to jump into the play, his love of hitting can, at times, draw him out of position.

Del Zotto is going to be a project. I wouldn’t even list him as high risk, because he’ll learn, but he’s going to have to refine his defensive game. His offensive skills are innate and he won’t lose them over time, they can only get better, so Del Zotto will pay a great dividend to whichever team that drafts him, it’s just a question of when. I’d almost list him as “High reward – Long wait”.

He’s ranked at #9 here because his talent is world-class. You can’t teach what he can do with the puck.

2007/08 Regular Season Statistics: 64GP – 16G – 47A – 63Pts – +7 – 82PIM
2007/08 Playoff Statistics: 15GP – 2G – 6A – 8Pts – 38PIM

Complete Ranking:

1. Steven Stamkos
2. Drew Doughty
3. Luke Schenn
4. Zach Bogosian
5. Alex Pietrangelo
6. Kyle Beach
7. Zac Boychuk