RODIN RIDING ON HOPE
Resurgent 2009 Canuck draft choice still chasing his NHL roster dream
Anton Rodin will never abandon his quest to play with the game’s best. If he did, it would be easy for the Vancouver Canucks’ left-winger to say enough is enough and return to his native Sweden with the hope that his surgically repaired left knee could hold up against elite competition. It would have allowed him to earn a good living, play at a more methodical and less demanding pace and kiss his NHL goal goodbye at age 26.
And nobody would have taken issue with it — but that’s not Rodin. Not even close.
“It’s something I’ve been dreaming of since I was a little kid,” said Rodin, who aggravated his knee a year ago, keeping him off the opening night roster and putting him on long-term injury reserve.
“I could go back (to Sweden) and play, but the dream has always been to play in the NHL. It’s never been about the money and because I’ve been so close, it would be stupid not to chase it. And when you’re close, you want to get after it.
“There are a ton of Swedes I grew up idolizing like (Peter) Forsberg, (Mats) Sundin and the (Sedin) twins and (Henrik) Zetterberg, and I could go on forever.”
It has taken Rodin forever to try to make an NHL impact. The Canucks’ second-round pick in 2009 has played 237 games in Sweden and 114 in the minors. Whether it was not having his contract renewed by the Canucks after the 2012-13 season with the Chicago Wolves, or getting one more shot with a oneyear, one-way, US$750,000 deal, it’s never been a straight-line ascension.
“My entire career has been like this,” the six-foot, 185-pound Rodin said. “It’s never been easy to play right away. It’s been a learning process and having coaches get angry at you and not playing that much, but you just have to prove them wrong. Even though they may like you, they want to test your character a bit and it’s always been that way with me.” Testing Rodin’s mettle is fruitless. For the last 18 months, the Stockholm native has strived to mend a tendon laceration from a skate in practice that morphed into a greater concern. It resulted in a disheartening season that limited him to three NHL games after exhaustive attempts to rehab the ailment before season-ending surgery Feb. 7.
The knee-tendon laceration in January 2016 required surgery, but the Canucks discovered in July of that year after consultations with Rodin that the post-operation prognosis was much more complicated.
The procedure to repair the quadriceps tendon changed the mechanics of Rodin’s knee and caused inflammation of the joint. Rodin’s kneecap also has two bones instead of the traditional one and because they hadn’t fused, it created stress in the joint and inflamed the bones.
It’s why Rodin was shut down with swelling after collecting five points in five pre-season games last fall. It’s why there was encouragement after a three-game conditioning stint with the AHL-affiliate Utica Comets. And it’s why there was still concern after Rodin fell on the injured knee in a Jan. 6 game against Calgary, when his shin pad shifted downward to bring more swelling and eventual surgery.
Though Rodin is having a resurgence — he scored in Calgary and Edmonton last week with quick, accurate releases from the slot that were blasts from the past for the one-time Swedish elite league MVP — he knows what’s at play here.
Simple math suggests there’s not enough roster room, even if the Canucks carry 13 forwards. However, the trickle-down effect if pro-tryout candidates Ryan White (concussion) and Scottie Upshall don’t stick would help Rodin. So would requiring waivers.
New Canucks head coach Travis Green also wants an uptempo fourth line and since he’s willing to mix and match alignments, Rodin’s skating and skill have piqued Green’s interest because the winger is finally skating pain-free.
“I’m curious to see where Rodin ends up — he has worked hard,” said Green, who plans to trim his roster either after practice Wednesday or Thursday’s game against Calgary.
It’s something Rodin could only hope to do a year ago before he was shut down.
“I’m really happy that (the knee) is fine, but I didn’t know after the (Feb. 7) surgery what it was going to be,” he said. “Even the doctors couldn’t tell me that it was going to be 100 per cent. I haven’t felt anything and we’ve been skating hard in practice. It’s all good and good for the confidence.”
Despite all the encouraging developments with his health and game, Rodin could still be out of the roster mix come opening night.
“I’m just trying to compete and play hard and whatever happens, happens,” he said. “If they send me to Utica, I’ll go there, but my main focus is here. All I can do is prove to Travis and management that I belong here.
“I’m pretty speedy and this is a style we played my last two years in Sweden, so I like it.”
Overtime: Winger Reid Boucher has cleared waivers and has been assigned to the Comets along with goalie Michael Garteig and winger Jonathan Dahlen.
“I’m curious to see where (Anton) Rodin ends up — he has worked hard.” — Travis Green