During one of Team 3’s drills today, new Penguins’ acquisition Cody Glass got crossed up a bit. What followed was an earfull from his head coach.
“Being a new guy, young, nervous, some anxiety – the first day of school it feels like – I mess up one drill, then Coach Sully was kind of giving it to me a little bit,” Glass said.
But, like the consummate professional he is, Glass went right back to business and wound up having a good first day of training camp.
“It kind of actually woke me up and put me right back in that hockey mode, and it went really good from there,” he said. “Sometimes, you kind of just need to get hit or maybe something like that just to get you out of that summer mode.”
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It’s no secret that there is a big logjam at the forward position for Pittsburgh during this year’s camp. There is a solid mix of veterans such as Lars Eller, Noel Acciari, and Kevin Hayes as well as younger players like Glass, Blake Lizotte, Rutger McGroarty, Valtteri Puustinen, Sam Poulin – and the list goes on.
Glass knows there are no guarantees, and he knows there is a lot of competition for NHL roster spots and playing time.
But he’s ready for the challenge.
Glass was acquired on Aug. 13 from the Nashville Predators, along with a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick, in exchange for forward Jordan Frasca. He was the Vegas Golden Knights’ first-ever draft pick – selected sixth overall in 2017 – but injuries and inconsistency prevented him from reaching his first-round potential in Vegas and in Nashville.
Over parts of five seasons with both organizations, he registered 29 goals and 71 points in 187 total games played. His best season came in 2022-23 with the Predators, when he put up 14 goals and 35 points in 72 games.
In Pittsburgh, Glass sees a new opportunity and a fresh start. And he looks forward to picking the brains of team veterans in Crosby, Malkin, Eller, Acciari, and Hayes, who he said have been very welcoming.
Related: Five Prospects to Keep an Eye on in Penguins’ Training Camp
“Everybody’s great. I haven’t met a bad person here,” Glass said. “It’s amazing. I feel like you just have so many different guys who have done so many different things in their own careers… So it’s great to pick their brains, but it’s also super nice to see how good of guys they are.”
He continued: “They’re so easy to talk to, it’s easy to just ask them a question if you’re feeling uncomfortable. And for a new player like myself, a young guy, it helps so much.”
There are 69 guys on the training camp roster, and there are only 23 total spots on the NHL roster. Glass is cognizant of this, and he knows that he has the chance to prove himself ahead of the regular season opener on Oct. 9 against the New York Rangers.
Related: Penguins Training Camp: Notes from Day 1
But the fact that there is so much healthy competition is a good thing for the Penguins – and it’s an exciting challenge and opportunity for Glass to truly hit his stride and find his game with the Penguins.
“Everybody’s trying to gain a spot. Everybody’s trying to make a name for themselves, and as a coaching staff, that’s what you’d love to see,” he said. “You want people to compete. You want people to be able to battle through adversity, and whatever situation someone’s in, they gotta take advantage of that opportunity.”
“So I’m looking forward to the challenge, and I’m glad to be here. It’s very exciting times.”
Related: 5 Things to Know About New Penguins Forward Cody Glass
