From healthy scratch to starter, Glass living highs, lows of young NHL player
Healthy scratch to starter, Glass faces mental grind
Cody Glass’ last few days illustrate how much of a roller coaster his first two NHL seasons have been.
He was a healthy scratch Sunday in the Golden Knights’ 5-1 win at the St. Louis Blues. On Monday, he was back in the lineup at first-line center in a 2-1 home win over the San Jose Sharks.
There have been constant swings for the franchise’s first-ever draft pick. A goal in his debut. A devastating knee injury. A hot start as a sophomore. A cold stretch that took him off the ice.
It’s been a lot to process for the Knights’ youngest player, who turns 22 on April 1. It also has provided a tough lesson in the realities of NHL life.
The physical adjustment is one thing. But to make it in the league, players must be mentally strong.
“I think that’s the biggest part that everybody kind of leaves out,” Glass said. “When I was in junior, I was always the top player. I didn’t have to worry about anything. I didn’t have to worry about offense, producing. It all just came naturally to me.
“But when you get to this level, it’s a lot more different. You’re not the top guy. There’s a lot better players out there. And for me coming to a Stanley
There’s a lot better players out there. And for me coming to a Stanley Cup-caliber team, every single year you have to take that time to be a role player. Cody Glass Knights center
Cup-caliber team, every single year you have to take that time to be a role player.”
Great expectations
Glass knows there’s pressure on him to succeed. There has been for years.
He remembers going on Twitter during the 2019 World Junior Championships when Canada lost on home ice in the quarterfinals and seeing fans’ comments. He had to learn quickly not to let that affect him.
He started seeing a sports psychologist affiliated with his junior team when he was 17 to help clear his mind of concerns outside of hockey. That way, he could play freely and let his natural playmaking instincts take over.
“I was kind of going through a tough time,” Glass said. “I never really talked about my emotions away from the rink, and they were kind of eating me up on the inside.”
Glass proceeded to compile numbers normally seen only in video games during his time with the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League. He scored 265 points in 171 games in his final three seasons.
It looked as if he was ready to take on the NHL. But he learned quickly adjusting to the league is a process.
“What guys like (Connor) Mcdavid and those type of players do at a young age is the exception, not the rule,” Knights coach Pete Deboer said. “He (Glass) is going through what a long list of young, great players have all gone through.”
Rookie struggles
Glass’ NHL career began like a movie Oct. 2, 2019. National TV game. Rivalry matchup against the Sharks. Dad and brother watching from the stands. And he scored.
The script got off track from there. Glass moved between center and wing and had a hard time establishing consistency in his game. He also struggled to compete physically against grown men.
His production — 12 points in 39 games — wasn’t great, and that took some getting used to. He was the offensive focal point on almost every team for which he had played. Now he was a young player asked to fill a different role on a Knights team with Stanley Cup aspirations.
“It’s the NHL; you’re not going to score every night,” Glass said. “You’re not going to get a point every night. For me, that was just a nonissue in junior. I knew I was going to get something.”
It became hard to separate his production from his confidence. Score a few points, feel good. See a poor video clip in a team meeting, feel bad.
Then Glass’ season was cut short by a knee injury in February. It had looked as if he would be heading toward his first free offseason in years. Suddenly, his calendar was filled with rehab and recovery.
“I’ve never actually had time to focus on my body, eat the right things, do all this stuff, and when I finally had the time to do it, I ended up having surgery and I had to rehab for four months,” said Glass, whose summers were usually booked with development camp and Team Canada workouts. “And then I finally get to start working out, but it’s not like I was fully healthy and started training and went through all that phase.”
Sophomore adjustments
Glass returned for the start of this season carrying 15 extra pounds of muscle.
It still was difficult to get in the swing of things right away with no preseason games. He admitted his first three games were rough, and he’s still learning how to use his extra size to hold onto pucks.
He’s also working on getting back his quickness with Knights strength and conditioning coach Doug Davidson.
“I was always quick, agile,” Glass said. “But when you add a certain amount of weight and you try to jump back into those games, you kind of lose your step.”
He’s trying to clear mental hurdles, too. He started seeing a sports psychologist again. He got away from it last year, which he admits was probably a mistake. It helps him manage the highs and lows as he adjusts to his role with the team.
For most of the season, that has been third-line center and first power-play unit.
Play responsibly five-on-five and make plays on the man advantage.
“He’s really a lot of fun to play with,” said left wing Max Pacioretty, who has spent most of the season on Glass’ power-play unit. “He sees plays happen before they actually do happen.”
Mentality shift
For most of his hockey life, Glass was counted on to score. But the Knights need him to defend, win faceoffs and chip in offensively.
He has just nine points in 21 games. But there are moments that his skill shines through, like his incredible assists to Zach Whitecloud and Alex Tuch this season.
“It’s all confidence,” said defenseman Nic Hague, one of Glass’ roommates. “You see him making the plays that he would always make in junior. I think confidence can go a long way for a young player.”
Glass credits his teammates and coaches for keeping his spirits up when his play is down. But with the Knights chasing a Stanley Cup, they aren’t in position to let young players work through their mistakes. It’s why he sat Saturday.
“He’s joining a long list of very good NHL players who as young guys sometimes had to take a step back to take two steps forward,” said Deboer, who pointed out that Pacioretty spent parts of three seasons in the American Hockey League. “This is normal.”