‘I was shocked’: Former Golden Knight Cody Glass opens up after trade

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Days after being traded away from the team that drafted him with the first selection in the franchises history, Cody Glass opened up about his immediate reaction.

“I was shocked. I couldn’t really believe it, like I said just couldn’t really believe it,” said Glass. “Bunch of hectic stuff happened after that, go back to Vegas, get all my stuff, but it was pretty surprising. It’s a business and that’s what you have to expect out of it.”

During the Golden Knights end of year Zoom calls, General Manager Kelly McCrimmon gave the 22-year old a vote of confidence following a season where he played in just 27 games, putting up 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists).

“With respect to Cody,” said McCrimmon during a June Zoom call. “I think it was likelier a tougher year than he expected. I think it’s an important he knows we believe in him and sometimes these things take more time.”

“I do think he truly wants the best for me, I try and believe that, try and believe the best in people,” explained Glass. “Them trading me (McCrimmon) thinks it will develop me quicker. He’s in a win-now kind of stage so he’s going to do whatever it takes to win and I have to understand that. Like I said it’s a business and I can’t really pout over it and I’m excited for the new opportunity that I have. I’m ready for a fresh start. It sucks because I feel like Vegas didn’t see my full potential with everything going on with me and I’m really looking forward to a new opportunity.”

Glass played in 66 games over the past two seasons, scoring 22 points (9 goals, 13 assists). The 2017 6th overall pick suffered a major knee injury that kept him off the ice for 11 months and it is that injury, he believes was the beginning of the end in Vegas.

“Going through nine months of rehab and then only having a month before training camp to skate. I just felt like I couldn’t get my speed back with that short amount of time, no preseason, just training camp, and pretty much into games every second day. I think that stunted my growth and my skating ability because that’s one of the things I thought I was really good at and then gaining that much weight going through a knee injury, you just have to expect you’re not going to have that same speed. I think that’s what held me back, was just going through all that and not having my speed.”

Glass was traded to the Nashville Predators for Nolan Patrick, a player taken four spots higher than Glass in the 2017 NHL Draft. Glass says shortly after the trade became official, every teammate within the VGK organization reached out via text or by call to wish him well.

“Pretty sad, it was such a tight group. All the veterans, pretty much everybody reached out, phoned me, texted me and it’s very sad, very emotional because I do love that group and for everybody to reach out and want the best for me is very special and just made me feel that much more comfortable with everybody in that organization. Me, Nic (Hague), and Dylan (Coghlan) became best friends throughout this whole experience and being through this organization and it’s tough to say goodbye to them. Those are guys I’ll see every summer; they’ll be at my wedding, I’ll be at theirs, it will be good. It sucks, but they understand too that it’s a business.”

Glass says the last few days have been emotional, but said he is heading to Nashville with plenty of positive memories.

“Probably my first NHL game, that was the biggest game, scoring, and obviously the crowd is unbelievable and that is probably a moment I’ll never forget is my first NHL goal and being in Vegas.”

“I think just thank you for everything, it sucks it didn’t work out, and it’s disappointing for me, but my experience in Vegas was unbelievable and I can’t thank the fans enough, the organization enough and I’m just thankful they got to be a part of my life.”