Banner Year for Scott Glennie Makes His RFA an Easy "Yes"

Scott Glennie (Credit: Christina Shapiro/Texas Stars)
With a high draft pick come high expectations. Being drafted in the top 10 of the entire draft class puts an immense weight on the shoulders of any eighteen year old. After being drafted eighth overall in the 2009, Scott Glennie is very familiar with having the hopes and dreams of a franchise placed on his back. After several seasons marred by injury, Glennie is a restricted free agent coming off a big performance in the Calder Cup playoffs. His improvement and potential upside for the Dallas Stars make it easy for the NHL club to extend him a qualifying offer by today at 4 PM.

Glennie missed the start of the season and also some time in January due to two separate injuries. Intense work during those injuries on the parts of his body that he could work out was a clear difference this season. Stars strength and conditioning coach JJ McQueen made frequent visits to Cedar Park to help with recovery and strength building with Glennie. It seemed like something was different with Glennie this season. It was like he knew this was a make or break year.

He absolutely broke out in the playoffs, putting up six goals and four assists in twenty games. He had two multipoint games, including a two goal, one assist effort in the first game of the finals.

After that game, Glennie recognized his injury history and called out the luck he's had to get to where he is, "I've been playing with injuries the last couple years. To be playing with the guys I'm playing with and be given the opportunity I have, I'll take it."

With his annual contract value currently just under a million dollars in the NHL, his qualifying contract would not be that expensive for the team. He will probably get a well-earned raise at the AHL level, but that will be paid by Dallas, which doesn't affect the available payroll for the AHL-signed players.

The question remains of what Glennie's role will be in the NHL. He definitely had what you would consider to be a top six role in the AHL this season. However, he has shown that he can also play a bottom-six AHL role as well. That makes him a very valuable piece. He can be a player who can grind out bottom six minutes in the NHL but can be called upon to play in the top six if needed. He may even excel there. That's his upside. And that upside is why you will see him signing a contract with the Dallas Stars this coming season.

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