Lost in the news that a new contestant had been found for Toronto’s Next Top Backup was the end of Jeff Glass’s tenure in Toronto.

He was released from his PTO on Monday, and while he played only two games for the Marlies, that’s the least of his contribution in Toronto.

He started out on a PTO with the Leafs for training camp when the expectation was that Frederik Andersen and Jhonas Enroth would be at the World Cup of Hockey.  He stayed; he participated in practices, and when the non-prospect sort of Marlies, the players that usually end up in the ECHL, went to St. Johns’s to play the Marlies preseason games, he went with them and did well.

He stayed on the Marlies for months, practicing, dressing as backup, and being a good professional.  He stayed while Garret Sparks was the starter or suspended; he stayed while Antoine Bibeau was the starter or called up to the Leafs; he stayed while Jhonas Enroth was suddenly there, seemingly taking the backup spot and Karri Ramo appeared to start a few games.

And now after all of that, he has a real contract and a real chance to play.  He has been signed to an AHL deal by the Rockford IceHogs, the affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks.  They have two goalies, neither doing well, and one of them was absent for a time while Corey Crawford was hurt.  Glass has the opportunity to take for  himself a real place on the team.

So farewell, Jeff Glass.  Make the most of this opportunity, and know that what you did for the Marlies was noticed and appreciated.  And maybe someday this season, someone not named Sparks might best your save percentage.

In other news:

This leaves the Marlies with Bibeau as the assumed starter and Enroth and Sparks as the backups.  For now, at least.

Toronto Marlies