One player we saw take a significant and unexpected role last season was center Cody Glass. After several unexpected trades and late injuries to Nashville’s veteran and core players, Glass ended up stepping into a larger role than he was expecting late in the season.
After not making it out of training camp in the 2021-22 season, Glass played 66 games in Milwaukee and only eight games in Nashville that year, and entered the 2022-23 training camp with a lot to prove.
Glass did make it out of camp and earned himself a solid roster spot on the team for the 2022-23 season. What he didn’t know at the time was what a huge role he would end up playing in the second half of the season.
2022-23 Season Review
This past season, Glass played in a total of 72 games with the Predators, scoring 35 points. Even though he isn’t one of the team’s leading scorers, Glass made quite an impact with every shift he had throughout the season, whether it was creating plays for his teammates or adding that much needed aggression in the forecheck.
Glass was also the Predators’ Masterton Trophy nominee for 2023, a trophy that is awarded to the “player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.”
In an interview with the team, Glass stated that at the beginning of the year, he was just trying to make the team, so to be able to step into such an important leadership role towards the end of the season was a big shock for him.
Even though the injuries and trades came as a surprise, Glass looked more than comfortable on the ice in this new role at the end of the season, and his hard work throughout the year showed through his game.
Not only did Glass find success during his year with the Predators, but he also scored four points in ten games with team Canada during the IIHF Worlds Tournament, and won a Gold medal with the team. During his time at the tournament, he was able to work and learn from several other players from different teams, allowing him to grow his own game.
Season Outlook for 2023-24
This year we can expect another breakout year from Glass. Last year, he was able to build his confidence when it comes to controlling the puck and decision making, so we can expect him to continue his rapid improvement in these areas throughout this season.
Confidence plays a huge role when it comes to making smart plays and creating scoring chances in the NHL, and Glass certainly has this much-needed confidence after his success in 2022-23.
Glass is an extremely hard worker and doesn’t make the same mistake twice, so we can expect to see similar growth from his game that we saw last season. Glass can score around 40 points this season and carry on his momentum he has already built for himself after joining the Predators organization.
Although the roster for the Predators will look very different from last season, we can most likely expect Glass to be paired with Phil Tomasino, as we saw them paired together quite often at the end of last season.
Glass’ ability to read plays meshes well with Tomasino’s intricate playmaking, making the pair a useful weapon for the team. The most consistent pairing that Glass had throughout the season was with Cole Smith, so we might be able to expect them to work together again, as they have a lot of experience on the ice together.
Biggest Strengths and Weaknesses
The biggest strength for Glass is his hockey IQ and the way he thinks about the game at such a high level. We’ve seen him work extremely well with several different players, and the way he sees the game is very beneficial to the team, as he is good at reading the plays of both the opponents and his own teammates.
Glass’ quick transitions make him really exciting for fans to watch, and his excellent puck control allows for him to make these transitions possible. Glass is great at making sure that when he is on the ice, his teammates are in possession of the puck and are in control of the game.
If there is anything I would like to see Glass improve on this season would be his physicality and speed. We’ve seen Glass’ ability to make a significant difference on the forecheck, but his speed before and after entering the offensive zone would help make his plays and transitions happen faster and make it harder for opponents to stop.
Glass could also use his size to his advantage more often in the forecheck and during puck battles. Coming in at 6-foot-3-inches, he can really start using his size to stop opponents from reaching the puck and making these plays.
Glass has stated in several post-game interviews that he is working on becoming a more well-rounded player in all aspects of the game, so we can definitely expect improvement in this area, as he will most likely be focusing on that during training camp.
Overall, we have seen some rapid improvement and excellent skills both on and off the ice from Glass, and 2023-24 should reflect all of the work he has put in over the last few years.