Cody Glass is ready to become the player he always wanted to be

Glass set career highs in goals (14) and points (35) during the 2022-23 season as a member of the Predators, who acquired him from Vegas in the summer of 2021. Last season, Glass had six goals and 13 points but was limited to just 41 games after dealing with a nagging injury that kept him out of the lineup for the first half of the season.

Glass spoke with the Penguins’ coaches and management after the trade with Pittsburgh, and was motivated by what they had to say.

“I think the biggest thing when I talk to management is that they believe in me,” Glass said. “Being a young player and dealing with injuries, you lose a little bit of confidence. The fact that they hired me and they want me to succeed, that’s something you really want to hear from an organization. I’m going to do everything in my power to make them and this city proud.”

In 187 NHL games, Glass has 71 points (29G-42A) over five seasons. The 6-foot-3, 204-pound forward has played center and wing during his time in Vegas and Nashville. Additionally, Glass has 89 points (26G-63A) in 104 American Hockey League games with the Chicago Wolves, Henderson Silver Knights and Milwaukee Admirals.

In the first few days of training camp, Glass skated on a line with Michael Bunting and Lars Eller. Head coach Mike Sullivan said time will tell if Glass is capable of playing in the top six, but “he’s certainly a guy that could have an opportunity.”

“We’ll see how camp goes, but I think Cody is an interesting player for us,” Sullivan continued. “He’s obviously proven himself in the league so far. He’s an NHL player. We like his size and his skating. He’ll help our team accelerate and we think there’s potentially another level of play on both sides of the puck. Hopefully we can help him get there… I think he’s one of those guys that we think could have the ability to really reach his potential.”

As for the intangibles, Glass believes his game should fit in well in this city.

“I think the biggest thing is I’m going to give my best every shift,” he said. “You know, that’s what this city was built for, that’s what this team was built for – it’s about hard-working people who give their all every day and get what they deserve for their hard work. So I’m going to do my best to do that. But I’m also going to hold the puck, make plays and be the player I always wanted to be.”