Farmer's Almanac: Glass Doesn't Break

Hello Internet,

In case you have not already been asked 471 times today: Cold enough for you? Remember to wear layers, I worry. Something to warm you up: Fresh from the Senate Committee's Binghamton bureau, it's another edition of the Farmer's Almanac!

Well, as you likely know by now, Brian Elliott has been recalled to Ottawa, leaving the Binghamton Senators with the legendary tandem of Jeff Glass and Mitch O'Keefe to tend goal. Thus far, the results have been surprisingly passable.

The winds of change rustle amongst the branches in a wintery up-state New York as Martin Gerber will arrive in Binghamton tomorrow. Gerber will presumably start in Binghamton's goal Friday against Wilkes-Barrie/Scranton. While he will surely be disappointed to have lost his job in the NHL, Darth can take solace in the fact that he is now a legitimate threat between the pipes again. Sorry Marty. You seem like a nice guy but you aren't an NHL No. 1. Cheer up, though. I bet those 11.1M American Dollars will go a long way in Russia next year. I hear the gas is cheap and they don't care if you buy an alarm clock.

Fri, Jan. 9th 2009 - Wilkes-Barrie Scranton 4; Binghamton 2.
Key Contributors:
Peter Regin - 2A, +2, 2 SOG
Denis Hamel - 1G, +1, 5 SOG
Greg Mauldin - 1G, +1, 6 SOG

Jeff Glass - 31 SV, 3 GA

Key Stat - Power Play
Binghamton - 0/5
W-B/Scranton - 2/4

Notes: The entire B-Sens team called themselves out after this one

Sat, Jan. 10th 2009 - Binghamton 4; Rochester 2
Key Contributors:
Denis Hamel: 2G, 2A, 7 SOG
Greg Mauldin - 1G, 2A, 7 SOG
Peter Regin - 3A, +3, 3 SOG

Jeff Glass - 23 SV, 2GA

Key Stat - Shots on Goal
Binghamton - 46
Rochester - 25

Notes: Binghamton's top line of Hamel, Mauldin, and Regin was dominant and this one, combining for 10 points. They kept up a hot streak in to this one, amassing 17 points in 3 games as a group. The win was Jeff Glass' first in 10 tries dating back to October.

Wed, Jan. 14th 2009 - Binghamton 4; Rochester 1
Key Contributors:
Ryan Shannon - 3A, +1
Denis Hamel - SHG, +1, 4 SOG
Zack Smith - 1A, fight.

Key Stat - Goaltending
Jeff Glass (BNG) - 36 SV, 1 GA
Chris Beckford-Tseu (ROC) 24 SV 3 GA

Notes: B-Sens Coach Cory Clouston on the game: "I thought we were pretty sloppy tonight, to be honest... We played well at the start, and then we just lost our focus. ... Give them credit, they didn't quit." On Glass: "I thought he played very solid. I'd have to say that might be his best game of the year so far, and definitely something to build on. And he's a hard critic on himself, so I'm sure he'll look at some of the saves, and some of the video, and make adjustments and move on from here."

Spotlight - Jeff Glass
Position: G
Catches: Left
Height: 6-2
Weight: 182 lbs
Birthdate: Nov 11 1985
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
Drafted: 3rd round, 89th overall, 2004


Glass played his junior hockey with the Kootenay Ice of the WHL where he had a very successful career. In 143 games with Kootenay, Glass went 75-47 and posted a 2.16 GAA, .918 sv% while shutting out his opponent 17 times.

Glass' best season with the Ice came in 2004-05 when he was paired with current B-Sens coach and then Ice head coach Cory Clouston. Glass compiled a 34-11 record, 1.76 GAA, .932 sv% and 8 shutouts in a league where netminders often have a tough time. His heroics helped the Ice to a first overall finish in "The Dub." The playoffs were a disappointment for the team, but the Calgary native went 10-6 with a 2.28 GAA .916 sv% in the WHL playoffs, leading the Ice to the Western Conference Final before falling 4-2 to the Kelowna Rockets. Glass walked away with the Del Wilson Trophy as the WHL's best goaltender and earned ADT CHL Goaltender of the Year Honours to boot.

Most people will remember Glass as the backstop to arguably the best WJC team of all time. Glass shared a dressing room with the likes of Sidney Crosby, Dion Phaneuf, Brent Seabrook, Bryadon Coburn, Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Patrice Bergeron (quite the team, eh?) and did not look out of place. Some critics bemoaned that Glass was the weak link on the team, and never had to do any real work because of the all-star cast he had playing in front of him. Nevertheless, Glass went a perfect 5-0 at the tourney, and looked like he was destined to have an NHL career.


Glass has struggled since turning pro. He spent most of the 2005-06 season in the ECHL and posted so-so numbers. His career numbers with Binghamton have not been strong, though Glass did show some improvement last season, posting a .913 sv% and 2.88 GAA and 2 shutouts in 45 appearances with a bad Binghamton team. He has struggled so this year while serving as Brian Elliott's back up. Glass is 3-7-2 with a 3.68 GAA and .895 sv% this season. Glass summed up his thoughts on his struggles in a recent article in the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin, believing much of his troubles have to do with a lack of routine playing time.

"I think I struggled a little bit not being able to play every night. And maybe having a good game or a bad game, and wanting to get back in there, and having to wait weeks to do that...To be perfectly honest, the hardest part for me was every game I got into, the first period I felt like I was adjusting... Whether I played good or bad in the first period, I didn't ever really feel comfortable. ... It wasn't so much the frustration of not getting to get back in again (right away), as it is, when I did get in, I maybe over-thought the first period. Or it just took me a while to get warmed up. And then once I settled into a groove it was either too late, or it felt like we were always chasing. So that was the hardest part for me." - Jeff Glass

Seeing as Glass has been thrust into the spotlight in Bingo this week, the time seemed right for a profile. Glass is shaping up to be a bit of a disappointment as an NHL prospect, but there is still time for him to turn things around. The Senators organization showed faith in Glass last summer, re-signing him to a one year deal, though their patience may wear thin after this season. Glass figures to back up Martin Gerber for the forseeable future. He really has no NHL prognosis.

NHL.com was being difficult, so the only video I could find of Glass was this appearance he did on MTV's Cribbs... What? You say it's a spoof for the B-Sens' website? Well the production is just so good I would never have known! Honestly though, unless you are trying to kill six minutes, don't waste your time.



Apparently Jeff does a lot of his "best thinking" when he is constantly moving between every room in his house and his car