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After almost walking away from hockey as a rookie, center Brendon Hodge (#8) is now a key leader of one of this season's most surprising on-the-ice success stories 

Brendon Hodge’s journey of a hockey  devoid of a championship thus far, almost ended just as it was beginning.career,

While a rookie with the Wheeling Nailers three seasons ago, Hodge began to question whether hockey should remain a part of his future.

Coming home to his native Boston area for Christmas, Hodge had only tallied four goals through the first two months of the season, which was set to be a breakout year for a player who scored often in college, and whose family has deep-rooted National Hockey League ties.

“I wasn’t playing at all,” Hodge explained, kicking back in a Victoria hotel lounge during the Thunder’s recent six-game road trip. “I was a healthy scratch a couple of games. I came home at Christmas time and I didn’t know if I wanted to go back. I was thinking maybe I’ll find a job there or do something else.”

That’s when a conversation took place over a meal at an Outback Steakhouse with his father, Ken Hodge, who enjoyed an NHL career that included two Stanley Cup championships and an induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

“He said ‘that’s the craziest thing for you to do,’” said Hodge recalling his father’s reaction when Brendon told him he was contemplating early retirement from the sport.   His father told him not to think about it, but just to go back and “keep plugging away.”

The end result?

Hodge finished with what is a current career-high 23 goals, with 48 points as a rookie as the Nailers advanced to the Kelly Cup Playoffs with a whopping 51-17-4 record, tallying 106 points which fell two points shy of capturing the league’s Brabham Cup, awarded to the team with the ECHL’s best record.

The 2003-04 Nailers, a team loaded for a deep playoff run, ran into a wall in the first round against the Reading Royals – a team they had dominated all season long. They were ousted in five games.
 
Surviving the battle of himself at Christmas, he was then fighting the battle of leadership, trying to sway a team away from leaning on talent too much and disregarding the “intangibles” category.

“We took advantage of that too much, and didn’t focus,” Hodge said. “What I took from that was ‘you can’t just rely on your talents.’”

Three seasons later and perhaps light years ahead in wisdom, Hodge’s journey had him headed to Stockton in a summer trade with Wheeling that shipped left wing Ned Havern back east. His mission: win a championship before his hockey time has passed.

“That’s my whole goal,” Hodge said. “I’ve only got a couple more years left in me playing hockey and I’d like to win a championship and leave on a good note.”

It is perhaps one of the reasons why Head Coach Chris Cichocki granted an assistant captain’s “A” to Hodge’s jersey.  It is a physical embodiment of the winning drive the Thunder seeks in year two of its Central Valley existence, with eyes on a Kelly Cup Playoff championship.

Heading into last Thursday’s back-to-back series at Victoria, Hodge sat two points off the lead in scoring with seven points, garnering six assists. A weapon also used on power-play situations along the blueline, Hodge’s ability to distribute the puck or unleash one of the deadliest slap shots on the entire team has helped the Thunder out to its best start in team history.  He will also go down in Thunder history as the player who won this season’s home opener in a shootout that saw both teams go through thirteen nail-biting rounds.

“Hodgie brings another element, too, when he’s on D on the power play,” said Thunder defenseman Tim O’Connell, who garners a handful of ice time with Hodge on man-advantage situations. “He’s got a great shot and he’s a good, smart guy on the back end. He helps us out quite a bit.”
 
It’s a key ingredient for a team that is set for a championship drive in 2006-07. And Hodge, who wears the number 8 in honor of his father, Ken, is helping shoulder the responsibility of leading that team into the history books.

He simply has to come face-to-face with a key family member for a reminder not to give up until he reaches his goal.
 
“Because he’s got two Stanley Cup rings, I look at it all the time,” Hodge said. “It’s the greatest thing in the world to see someone with a nice, shiny ring on their finger.”

The journey is what drives Hodge, nearly from retirement as a rookie, to possibly a championship ring with a loaded Stockton club.

After almost walking away from hockey as a rookie, center Brendon Hodge (#8) is now a key leader of one of this season's most surprising on-the-ice success stories 

Brendon Hodge’s journey of a hockey  devoid of a championship thus far, almost ended just as it was beginning.career,

While a rookie with the Wheeling Nailers three seasons ago, Hodge began to question whether hockey should remain a part of his future.

Coming home to his native Boston area for Christmas, Hodge had only tallied four goals through the first two months of the season, which was set to be a breakout year for a player who scored often in college, and whose family has deep-rooted National Hockey League ties.

“I wasn’t playing at all,” Hodge explained, kicking back in a Victoria hotel lounge during the Thunder’s recent six-game road trip. “I was a healthy scratch a couple of games. I came home at Christmas time and I didn’t know if I wanted to go back. I was thinking maybe I’ll find a job there or do something else.”

That’s when a conversation took place over a meal at an Outback Steakhouse with his father, Ken Hodge, who enjoyed an NHL career that included two Stanley Cup championships and an induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

“He said ‘that’s the craziest thing for you to do,’” said Hodge recalling his father’s reaction when Brendon told him he was contemplating early retirement from the sport.   His father told him not to think about it, but just to go back and “keep plugging away.”

The end result?

Hodge finished with what is a current career-high 23 goals, with 48 points as a rookie as the Nailers advanced to the Kelly Cup Playoffs with a whopping 51-17-4 record, tallying 106 points which fell two points shy of capturing the league’s Brabham Cup, awarded to the team with the ECHL’s best record.

The 2003-04 Nailers, a team loaded for a deep playoff run, ran into a wall in the first round against the Reading Royals – a team they had dominated all season long. They were ousted in five games.
 
Surviving the battle of himself at Christmas, he was then fighting the battle of leadership, trying to sway a team away from leaning on talent too much and disregarding the “intangibles” category.

“We took advantage of that too much, and didn’t focus,” Hodge said. “What I took from that was ‘you can’t just rely on your talents.’”

Three seasons later and perhaps light years ahead in wisdom, Hodge’s journey had him headed to Stockton in a summer trade with Wheeling that shipped left wing Ned Havern back east. His mission: win a championship before his hockey time has passed.

“That’s my whole goal,” Hodge said. “I’ve only got a couple more years left in me playing hockey and I’d like to win a championship and leave on a good note.”

It is perhaps one of the reasons why Head Coach Chris Cichocki granted an assistant captain’s “A” to Hodge’s jersey.  It is a physical embodiment of the winning drive the Thunder seeks in year two of its Central Valley existence, with eyes on a Kelly Cup Playoff championship.

Heading into last Thursday’s back-to-back series at Victoria, Hodge sat two points off the lead in scoring with seven points, garnering six assists. A weapon also used on power-play situations along the blueline, Hodge’s ability to distribute the puck or unleash one of the deadliest slap shots on the entire team has helped the Thunder out to its best start in team history.  He will also go down in Thunder history as the player who won this season’s home opener in a shootout that saw both teams go through thirteen nail-biting rounds.

“Hodgie brings another element, too, when he’s on D on the power play,” said Thunder defenseman Tim O’Connell, who garners a handful of ice time with Hodge on man-advantage situations. “He’s got a great shot and he’s a good, smart guy on the back end. He helps us out quite a bit.”
 
It’s a key ingredient for a team that is set for a championship drive in 2006-07. And Hodge, who wears the number 8 in honor of his father, Ken, is helping shoulder the responsibility of leading that team into the history books.

He simply has to come face-to-face with a key family member for a reminder not to give up until he reaches his goal.
 
“Because he’s got two Stanley Cup rings, I look at it all the time,” Hodge said. “It’s the greatest thing in the world to see someone with a nice, shiny ring on their finger.”

The journey is what drives Hodge, nearly from retirement as a rookie, to possibly a championship ring with a loaded Stockton club.