Report: Flames add Jeff Glass on a professional tryout

The Calgary Flames have added a veteran netminder to the fold for the preseason. According to a report from the Bosco Podcast – on which the player was a guest – goaltender Jeff Glass has signed a professional tryout agreement with the Flames.

Originally from Calgary, the 32-year-old Glass has taken the scenic route in his professional hockey career. He was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in 2004, he spent four seasons with the American Hockey League’s Binghamton Senators before making the leap to Europe. He played seven seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League – playing with Barys Astana, Sibir Novosibirsk, Spartak Moskva, CSKA Moskva, Lada Togliatti and Dinamo Minsk – before coming back to North America in 2016-17. He spent much of 2016-17 with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs and split last season between Rockford and the Chicago Blackhawks, making his NHL debut on Dec. 29, 2017 at the age of 32.

The Flames have six goaltenders under standard contracts for this season, but with three of them heading to China, signing Glass allows the Flames to have two full on-ice practice groups and not have to scramble to find goaltenders. In addition, having an experienced pro in Glass in camp will allow them to shelter their young goalies and give them a mentor to learn from – even if it might only be for a few weeks.