Cody Glass stood beside the home bench inside Bridgestone Arena, taking in the scene around him.
The Nashville Predators faithful, 18,000 strong, were on their feet, roaring in celebration of their team’s eighth consecutive victory – a 5-1 defeat of their Central Division rival Colorado Avalanche. Glass had just been named the “First Star” of the game after recording a hat trick in the first multi-goal performance of his NHL career. Bally Sports South’s Kara Hammer had to pause her interview questions so as not to be drowned out by the deafening cheers.
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As Glass absorbed the sights and sounds of the moment, a single tear rolled down his cheek. After all, his journey to this moment had not been an easy one; at times, in fact, it felt like the moment would never come.
“I stopped thinking about it,” Glass said. “I just kind of went back to being happy, having a smile on my face, working as hard as I possibly could. Good things happen when you work your hardest.”
As Glass reflected on the highs and lows of his season – including two separate stints on injured reserve and a handful of games watched from the press box as a healthy scratch – he humbly gave credit to his Predators teammates for not only helping him complete the hat trick, but for helping him keep his head up throughout a challenging time in his career.
“I think they wanted it more than I did,” Glass chuckled. “I didn’t want to put any pressure on myself. I just tried to do what I was doing the whole game, and they were trying to find me the whole time. We have a great team here. To be on an eight-game win streak, everybody’s pulling on the same rope and we’re all just kind of working hard for each other.”
Has Glass Turned a Corner?
Glass has been playing his best hockey of the season since the Predators returned from the All-Star Break, but his start to the year could be described as rocky at best. By Jan. 28, he had just two points (one goal, one assist) in 21 games for the Predators. Since then, he has produced at a more impressive clip with eight points (four goals, four assists) in 13 games.
Glass’ average ice time has also increased by more than a minute per game, from 13:14 to 14:22 over the last 13 contests. A natural center, he has started the last 10 games at right wing as part of the coaching staff’s strategy to reduce his defensive responsibilities and allow him to simplify his game. The positional shift has proven to be a welcome change for the slumping young forward looking to regain his confidence after early injuries threatened to derail his season.
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“I think there are nights when Cody demands the puck,” Predators head coach Andrew Brunette said. “When he has the puck, I think he’s really effective… He’s struggled at times this year to get that confidence, and that [first goal against Colorado] gave him some, and he rode the wave. Now, hopefully he can keep it; but I’m really happy for him.”
Glass’ Individual Success is a Team Effort
Glass scored his first of three goals against Colorado off a pass from veteran center and linemate Colton Sissons on the rush. The pair have developed on-ice chemistry and deepened their off-ice relationship as Sissons has taken Glass under his wing over the course of Nashville’s eight-game win streak.
“It’s awesome,” Sissons said of Glass’ hat trick. “He’s been through a lot. I mean, the reaction on the bench says it all. We’re all pulling for him and all care about each other deeply in here, and that’s what it’s all about. Sometimes you don’t play your best; sometimes you lose your confidence, and it’s about picking yourself up and having some guys around you to help you along the way. And he’s done a great job, so we’re all proud of him.”
Sissons, who has centered Nashville’s second line between Glass and Yakov Trenin since the start of the win streak, has had a front-row seat to Glass’ early on-ice struggles. As Brunette sees it, it’s no coincidence that Glass has been playing his best hockey of the season with Sissons – one of Nashville’s most tenured leaders and one of the NHL’s best two-way forwards – by his side.
“[Sissons] is a great leader,” Brunette said. “[He’s] a little bit of a big brother to Cody… and he’s helped him along. He’s been wonderful working with him, helping him, protecting him, and that just speaks to Colton Sissons. [Glass] is very fortunate to have a player like that not just on his line, but on his team – somebody that actually really cares about you as a person and as a player. And our whole team did, but I think [Sissons] is just a little bit of a security blanket – not just for Cody, but for our whole team.”
Glass is Having Fun Again
As Glass’ confidence wavered amid injuries and mental health battles earlier this season, Brunette said that the best way for him to regain that confidence was by finding a way to enjoy the game. With encouragement from his teammates and coaches, it’s safe to say that he’s done just that; of course, winning eight in a row doesn’t hurt, either.
“It’s been a blast,” Glass said. “It’s more fun when you’re winning and not losing 9-2. Now, we’ve won eight in a row here and we’re just having fun at the rink. There’s been adversity throughout the year, and we’ve come a long way from the beginning of the year. So, it’s been a lot of fun.”
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In many ways, this season has been a microcosm of an obstacle-filled career for Glass, who at just 24 years old has already experienced more injuries, reassignments, mental hurdles and pressure to perform than some hockey players will experience in their entire careers. As a result, Glass possesses maturity beyond his years and a steadfast belief in his ability to overcome the challenges he faces with the help of those closest to him.
“I’m young,” Glass said. “I’m going to go through adversity in my life. Whatever happens, you just kind of go with the flow, and that’s why you have teammates to go through it with you. We have an unbelievable coaching staff. [General manager Barry Trotz] has been great. So I’m thankful to be in this organization with this team.”
Glass’ Impact Down the Stretch
It appears that Glass is hitting his stride at the perfect time for the Predators, who are currently in a playoff spot with 20 games remaining in the regular season. As much as he leans on his teammates, they are relying on him, too.
“He just seems to be having an impact much more than earlier in the season,” Sissons said. “Certainly on the offensive side but just in general, he’s battling out there. He’s really determined. He’s getting the puck a lot more on his stick, and that kind of comes with confidence and feeling yourself and being in good spots and all those things. So hopefully he keeps trending upwards for us because he could have a huge impact down the stretch.”
