Turner Cup Most Valuable Player Justin Hodgman is on his way to Fort Wayne and will be in the lineup Wednesday night against Muskegon. Komets General Manager David Franke said nothing has been signed yet, but Hodgman said, ``I'm on my way, and I can't wait to sign the papers."
Hodgman said he had been talking contract with Rockford of the AHL, but that fell through, so he decided to return to Fort Wayne. He must play the last six regular-season games to be eligible for the playoffs.
Why is he coming back?
"To win," Hodgman said. "I love the city and the guys. I learned a lot from Al when I wa there last time. I want to better my career and I talked about it with people around me and figure this is the best place to do that. I knew I was going to go somewhere, and Fort Wayne was the best place for me."
Hodgman will be at practice Wednesday morning.
After scoring four goals and eight points in 11 regular-season games with the Komets last season, Hodgman scored seven goals and 14 points in 13 playoff games, including the game-winner in triple overtime of Game 7 against Port Huron.
This season he led the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League in scoring with 24 goals and 66 points in 66 games.
Comments
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YAY!!!!!!!!
Welcome back Hodgman.
WOW! Welcome Back!
I was a little worried about the playoffs this year with all of the other big moves made by some of the competition, but the way the Komets have been playing lately, matched with this move, has me really fired up to make a run at keeping the Cup home here in the Fort. Does this mean someone will have to be let go now though? If so, who?
welcome back Hodgy...i can hear hoss yelling "Neeewww guy" now...
yep, we gotta cut someone...at this point who ever gets cut Hodgman will be a big improvement over him...
you put Hodgman on a line with Chaulk...and let them fly...
This will haunt larry even more. Too bad we dont play them rest of the season. Would love to see the kid score on him again. But welcome back hodgy, so glad we still have enough games to see him play in the playoff.
This is the sniper that I had been hoping for. Hodgman will put us over the top. I am wondering who is going to go.
it is certain that if we let someone go Flint will probably pick them up!!
It's going to suck for whoever we have to let go. Everyone has really worked their rears off through the ups and downs. I guess it's the business of the sport though, talent wins championships. Looking down through the roster at who we'd possibly cut shows how stacked we really are with this move. If we don't cut a defenseman there's going to be a big name from this season going home...
Blake. This is good news but I'm wondering if this had anything to do with Curadeau? Are we sure he is OK?
This is not good news for Legault or MacMillen. Those two were going to be in a fight with Pence to be the 10th forward going into the playoffs. Now with Hodgman coming back they may be watching the playoffs from the stands.
I would cut Rodger, he has not been with the team that long. I know the Franke's would like to carry 7 dmen going into the playoffs, but that is who I would let go because the other two likely people (Legault & MacMillen) have been with the team all season and deserve the chance be in the playoffs and play if someone gets hurt.
Rodger seems to skate and react to adverse situations a lot better than Mironovic. I can't count how many times I've seen Mironovic get the "deer-in-the-headlights" look on him or get beaten by a better skater to put Boucher in some scary situations. I really don't like throwing any of our players under the bus, but I just get nervous each time Mironovic is lost on the ice and I see his man skate around him. I hate even blogging about the decision. I'm glad I'm not a Franke or Coach Sims today.
Wow this is great news! Welcome back Justin!
It might all work out. The Komets do have an IR spot available, and because they would be under the 21-man roster limit, they could bring that player off the IR during the playoffs provided someone else goes on IR.
I thought Holladay was only released because his salary put the Komets over the cap limit, and the deadline for negotiating it down had passed. That's what they said at the time, and that may have been true, but now I'm thinking they probably had this move in mind the whole time.
According to Cohn Hodgeman is going to fit under the cap and no players will need to be cut with his addition. We are going to carry a full 21 players into the playoffs and we are poised for a very interesting April/May.
I was under the understanding that you could only have a total of 21 players come play-off's and that included the IR. You couldn't carry more than that during the play-off's so I may be wrong.
If I count right on the Roster right now we have 22 bodies listed and that includes Hodgeman. The odd person out is Vince but he was ruled out of playing the rest of the year. He will have to go in the final waiver draft on the 14th I would guess.
Vince is on 45-day IR so he doesn't count against the 21-man roster.