Hayden Hodgson suffered a horrible injury three years ago in the ECHL

He spent the entirety of his career in the ECHL before being invited to the Lehigh Valley training camp this season. Signed on an NHL deal at the trade deadline, the forward was the best goalscorer of the Phantoms before his call-up.

Yesterday, he scored his first NHL goal and recorded two points in his first game in the best league in the world.

However, he has come a long way. Three years ago, while playing for the Reading Royals in the ECHL, Hodgson suffered a very scary injury that made him miss two months of action.

He was cut by a skate on his leg. The cut was nearly seven inches wide and three inches deep that severed muscles in his leg. He spent three days in the hospital.