Mike Gillis has some tough questions to address.

BY MARK SPECTOR
sportsnet.ca

PENTICTON, B.C. -- Vancouver general manager Mike Gillis may have the best National Hockey League team north of the 49th heading into the new season, but he still has his share of question marks with Canucks veterans set to report on Sept. 17.

Will Roberto Luongo remain the Canucks captain? "We'll talk (Monday)," Gillis said.

Will top prospect Cody Hodgson miss the entire training camp and preseason with his bad back? "That's a possibility," Gillis admitted Sunday in a lengthy press availability between periods of the Canuck rookies' 4-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers' first-year players.

"It's really dependent upon him and how he's feeling. We're hopeful," he said of Hodgson, around whom mystery still swirls regarding his back injury and communication with the Canucks organization.

Hodgson is scheduled to skate on Monday in Vancouver.

"He has a bulging disc in his back. That's been an ongoing injury," Gillis explained. "In addition to that, we've been informed by his family and his agent that he also had a slight muscle tear in his back that is now completely healed. There is still some tenderness around that area.

"There wasn't any misdiagnosis. It was more that ... because of the bulging disc everyone presumed the symptoms were similar to anybody who would have a bulging disc, and that's what the diagnosis was."

The questions remain though: Why are the Canucks finding out medical information about by far their best prospect from the player's family and doctors? Should not the 2009 Junior Player of the Year be under the care and control of doctors from the team that drafted him?

"I talked to his father the other day," Gillis said. "He told me they've had a rehab guy every day for the past year trying to help with this problem.

"Surgery is always the final option," he continued. "Our medical people and his medical people feel like this is something that he can overcome. Surgery is not the right course of action at this point in time."

Meanwhile, what seemed like a good idea at the time -- adorning No. 1 goalie Roberto Luongo with the captain's "C" -- may not seem like such a great idea anymore.

After two rather average playoff performances on Luongo's part, it sounds as if the Canucks are looking to lighten his mental load somewhat.

"I think that the expectations that go with that position, with that title, in a Canadian city can be a distraction," Gillis admitted. "I will discuss that with him (Monday), and I will find out whether he feels the same way, and get his thoughts on the process."

Apart from the fact the captain of an NHL team is expected to speak to the media at nearly every practice, morning skate and after every game -- a serious task with the growing media horde surrounding these Canucks -- the bigger problem came in the playoffs when the Canucks' play lacked, particularly in the shot-blocking department.

It is at times like that when the captain needs to step up and publicly state where the team needs to improve. But when a goalie chastises his team in the media for failing to block enough shots, it comes across as the goalie pointing the finger at teammates.

It's a good bet the captaincy goes to Henrik Sedin when the season starts in October.

"I know (Luongo) desperately wants to win a Stanley Cup, and he's going to do everything in his power to do that. If he feels it's a distraction or hinders his play in any way I'm sure he'll make the best decision for the team first and for him second," Gillis said.

And if not, the GM insisted he is happy with having a goalie as his captain.

"He is one of the hardest working guys on our team. He leads by example," Gillis said. "The way he lives his life, his demeanour... We are completely confident in his leadership abilities.

"He's going to do, we're going to do, what's in the best interests of this team."