Tanner Glass
Position: Forward – Left Wing
Age/Physical Stats: 31/Ht:6’/Wt:210lbs/Shoots: L
NHL Experience: 443GM (9 sea.) 19G/60P (Playoffs – 56GM 1G/2P)
Contract/Cap Hit: $1.45MM/Year (2nd season of a 3-year contract)
Notes: It isn’t Glass’ fault that the game is going away from his way of playing it, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is. A well-liked teammate and seasoned NHLer, Glass has never played on a sub .500 NHL squad. Commonly referred to as “AV’s guy,” it seems odd that a coach bent on playing an up-tempo speed game would keep Glass around. He’d get outrun by a slightly energized rock.
AV is a big reason, if not THE reason Glass is a Ranger. As entertaining as it can be to watch him maul opponents, the combination of offensive talent surrounding him and a possible replacement pugilist in the form of Dylan McIlrath could cause Glass to ride the waiver wire. If he does, he will be owed $550k and the Rangers would re-capture $900k, giving Gorton some wiggle room under the cap.
Because he is gaudily expensive for a hammer, it’s unlikely that Glass would get claimed off waivers, which means he would end up Hartford-bound. He hasn’t played in the AHL since 2008-09. If that were to come to pass, Vigneault would have a lever to pull to motivate a flagging McIlrath, or a slow-to-grow Etem.
And that brings us to…
