Earlier, Hayden Hodgson signed a 2yr/$1.6mil two-way/one-way extension.
Last season, he made his NHL debut with the Philadelphia Flyers. Hodgson, in his first against the St. Louis Blues, recorded a multi-point game. His goal was an insurance marker during a victorious performance. He was one of four players to secure a multi-point evening during the 5-2 win.
More impressive about his debut is that he filled in at LW, a natural RW, and accumulated two points. He was one of a handful of prospects to maximize their opportunity under Mike Yeo.
“We’re talking about a guy who, before this year, was playing in the ECHL. The jump from the ECHL to the AHL is a big one in the caliber of players, then the jump from the AHL to the NHL. The things he did well, he did very well tonight.”
Mike Yeo; 3/24/2022
Hodgson played in a total of six games in 2021-2022. During his final performance of the season, he recorded his third point. An assist versus the Anaheim Ducks helped the Flyers to an early two-goal lead, surrendered in a porous second period. Derek Grant and Trevor Zegras haunted Philadelphia, downing the Flyers, 5-3. Then, Hodgson returned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
In 2022-2023, Hodgson will likely remain with the Phantoms. His extension allows for further development while being a viable option to recall. He didn’t perform poorly during his stint in Philadelphia, after all.
Resiliency is the name of the game for Hodgson. It’s an intersecting theme throughout his career. He recovered from a gruesome leg injury in 2019, but the ECHL shut down due to COVID-19. In his first run in Lehigh Valley, he ranked third in team scoring behind Adam Clendening and Cal O’Reilly.
Hodgson appeared in 46 games with the Phantoms, taking on a role of a goal-scorer. His 31 points (19G, 12A) finished the 2021-2022 campaign fourth in team scoring. Entering the 2022-2023 season, Hodgson fits a top-six role in the AHL. He’ll compete for a chance to return with the Flyers as a thirteenth forward pending on team health.
(Photo by Joshua Sarner/Icon Sportswire)
