Veteran Nino Niederreiter and young Cody Glass have become a pivotal duo for the Nashville Predators.
At the end of the preseason, it appeared the paths forward for new Nashville Predator Nino Niederreiter and young Cody Glass were clear. Niederreiter scored 24 goals and 44 points in his 2021-2022 seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes before a late night phone call from Roman Josi helped bring the Swiss winger to Nashville. Niederreiter was signed by David Poile on July 21 in a move to address last season's lack of second line scoring.
Niederreiter's previous experience with Nashville's second line center Ryan Johansen when the two played together with the WHL Portland Winterhawks seemed the obvious choice for a permanent line mate. Johansen and Niederreiter spent most of training camp and preseason playing together, and Niederreiter's early season success reinforced the assumption that the two would stay together for the long haul.
Cody Glass, too, came out of the preseason on what appeared to be a very specific trajectory. The 23 year old center worked hard in the offseason to earn a spot in the Predators' lineup, and out of camp it appeared he would be a permanent fixture on the ice. Predators fans were moved to see this exchange between GM David Poile and Glass during the NHL Network's docuseries, Behind the Glass.
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As Nashville's 2022-2023 season began, it seemed the plans for veteran Niederreiter and young Glass were set in stone.
But in life and in hockey, plans change.
After early success with Johansen followed by streaks of hot and cold offensive production, the Joey/Nino duo that seemed to be a long term lock split up. The decision to separate the two wasn't necessarily based on poor play together. With the team struggling to finish offensively in mid November through December, head coach John Hynes tried new forward combinations to spark anemic offensive production.
Cody Glass had a more tumultuous path to his current status with the team and Niederreiter. After a strong preseason, Glass became a healthy scratch for stretches, playing only five games in November. Fans were confused by the decision and frustrated with Head Coach John Hynes for what was perceived to be poor management of young talent.
Whether fans will admit it now or not, Hynes knew what he was doing with Cody Glass. While it couldn't have been easy for the young center to miss games, Hynes believes the extra time to grow on and off the ice is now paying off.
After Tuesday's win over the Montreal Canadiens, Hynes discussed the development of young players, especially in relation to centers Cody Glass and Tommy Novak who each had goals in that game.
After the unexpected ups and downs for both Nino Niederreiter and Cody Glass, it's interesting to see how the two players have done sharing ice time on a line in recent weeks. Head Coach John Hynes has found something special between the veteran and the young center that is working extremely well.
Since mid December, Glass and Niederreiter have been on a line together and each is benefitting from the partnership. In the last eight games, Niederreiter has scored 8 points and Glass has earned 6. Mikael Granlund has joined the two on a top six line, and Granlund's offensive numbers are trending upward after a stretch of play in which the entire team struggled to score.
Offensive numbers don't tell the full story of Glass and Niederreiter's success. The two, along with Granlund and for a few games before that Tanner Jeannot, have been tasked with playing against their opponents' top lines including Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid, and Zach Hyman and Dallas's Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, and Joe Pavelski. While they may not be the hottest Predators goal scorers, Niederreiter and Glass have been an important part of containing some of the league's top scoring threats.
When asked about the Niederreiter/Glass/Granlund line's recent performance, John Hynes praised their work of late.
"That line has been an offensive threat. That really started a couple weeks ago where we were looking for some lines to play against top guys. Nino was a player in Carolina who was on a line that played against top players. His attention to details is good, Glass has done a really good job, and now with Granlund on there it's been more of an offensive threatening line."
Niederreiter's veteran experience, Glass's raw talent, and the recent addition of Granlund's offensive vision have become a successful combination for the Predators.
"They've had really good chemistry together," Hynes shared.
The veteran Niederreiter is impressed with young Glass as well.
"He's a fast, highly skilled player," Niederreiter said of Cody Glass. "He's a great player. There's a reason he got drafted pretty early."
The combination of Glass, Niederreiter, and now Granlund wasn't a line many would have predicted earlier in the season, but it is a trio who are finding ways to be difference makers for the Nashville Predators.