Glass acclimating to WHL

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This article was published 22/02/2016 (3601 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s a big jump from midget to major junior, but Cody Glass is starting to find his feet in the Western Hockey League.

Glass, 16, a West Kildonan resident, is playing his first full season with the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL after a short three-game stint with the club last December. Through 52 games, Glass has notched eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points.

“It’s been pretty good so far,” Glass told The Times on Feb. 17. “The first couple months were just getting used to the league and the bigger players, but now that I’m a few months in, getting close to the end of the regular season, I’m way more comfortable.”

A centreman, Glass is playing on the Winterhawks second line alongside WHL veterans Rihards Bukarts and Alex Schoenborn. Bukarts has 23 goals and 50 points this season, second on the team, while Schoenborn has put up 20 goals and 43 points.

“They’re pretty good line mates I’d say, two 20-year-olds and I’m the 16-year-old on the line, so it’s been a huge help for me throughout the year,” Glass said.

“I’m trying to produce. Obviously it’s a stronger league, so it’s harder to get points, but my linemates make it really easy for me to produce as a player.”

Glass spent last season with the Winnipeg Thrashers of the Manitoba Midget AAA Hockey League, scoring 23 goals and adding 32 assists for 55 points in 40 games, good for eighth in league scoring.

In 2013-14, Glass played bantam AAA hockey with the Winnipeg Hawks, scoring 31 goals and adding 46 assists for 77 points in 32 games.

Glass also played minor hockey with the Northwest Stars, Maples Monarchs and West Kildonan Cougars.

Glass, who checks in at six-foot-one and 170 pounds, said he’s still growing and is working on adding more muscle and weight to better compete in the WHL. In the offseason he trains with Scott Miller at NRG Athletes Therapy Fitness, located in Seven Oaks Arena.

He’s always working on his game, but Glass is faring fairly well with his current skill set.

“I’d say a couple of my strengths are my vision and my playmaking abilities, just trying to find players and getting to the open areas,” Glass said.

In addition to playing for the Winterhawks, Glass laced up with Team Canada Red in the 2015 World U17 Hockey Challenge in November, helping the team to a respectable fourth-place finish.

As for the Winterhawks, the team has a record of 31 wins, 25 losses and three overtime losses as of Feb. 22. The team is currently ranked third in the Western Conference’s U.S. Division. 

“We’ve hit a couple bumps in the road, just consistency-wise, but coming down the road the last couple games it’s been going really well and we’re coming along at the right time, just before playoffs,” Glass said.

“I think we have a good shot at going deep in playoffs.”