BUFFALO – When the Nashville Predators’ dressing room opened this afternoon, some reporters walked over to former Sabres enigma Cody Hodgson, exchanged pleasantries and started talking to the 25-year-old.
After spouting a few clichés about his new team and city, Hodgson, who had a buyout exercised on the final four seasons of his six-year, $25.5 million contract in June following an awful 2014-15 campaign, became prickly.
Clearly, the end of his four-year run with the Sabres – he scored six goals last season – is a touchy subject for the forward.
To wit:
Was it tough to look for new job?
“I don’t really want to think about it now,” he said. “You can think about that as much time as you want. At the end of the day, this is where I am right now. I’m happy to be with the Nashville Predators.”
Was he surprised about the buyout?
“Guys, I’m not going to talk about this now,” an upset Hodgson said. “I just want to talk about the game.”
With that, the interview ended after less than 90 seconds.
Hodgson, who signed a one-year, $1.05 million contract with the Predators, has one goal and four points in 20 games this season. He scored his only goal in the 12th game.
The Sabres owe him $6.333 million over eight years with the buyout.
Clearly was was a problem from the start (in Vancouver.) Their GM called him a “complainer” and couldn’t dump him off quick enough. “We made a determination that he didn’t want to be here, we built him into something we could move,” Gillis said. “There were six young players that I would have traded him for if any of them were ever made available.”
“We put Cody on the ice in every offensive situation we possibly could,” Gillis said. “I don’t think he took more than five or six defensive zone faceoffs and that was by design. And like I said earlier, I don’t regret that move. I’d do it again. I’d do it today.”
Personally, I think that Nolan didn’t like him or his work ethic and constantly moved him from wing to center. This shattered his already weak confidence which resulted in the poor play. These guys are creatures of habit. Perhaps Cody has very bad ones and just needs a few years down in the minors or in Europe to set those straight.
See you in a few years Hodson. You need to go back in the oven for a little longer.