Derick Brassard

Derick Brassard (born September 22, 1987) is a Canadian ice hockey player who currently plays as a centre for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Columbus Blue Jackets and the New York Rangers, the former of whom drafted him in the first round, sixth overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

Minor and junior

Brassard played youth hockey with the Gatineau L'Intrépide, where he captained his midget team. He was selected in the second round, 18th overall, of the 2003 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) Draft by the Drummondville Voltigeurs.

Brassard spent most of the 2003–04 season playing midget hockey with the L'Intrépide before making his debut with the Voltigeurs where, in ten regular season games and seven playoff games, Brassard registered one assist. He spent the entire season with the Voltigeurs during the 2004–05 season, registering 76 points in 69 games. Brassard's results were enough that he was named to the CHL All-Rookie Team and the QMJHL All-Rookie Team. He was also named the QMJHL Rookie of the Year and awarded the Michel Bergeron Trophy as the Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Brassard improved on his results during the 2005–06 season, finishing the regular season with 44 goals and 72 assists for 116 points in 58 games. He participated in the CHL Top Prospects Game and, at the conclusion of the season, was named to the QMJHL First All-Star Team, the CHL First All-Star term and was awarded the Michael Bossy Trophy for QMJHL Best Professional Prospect.

Brassard was selected in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets with the sixth overall pick. Considered one of the better skaters in the Draft by both NHL Central Scouting and the International Scouting Service, Brassard is said to be a "great playmaker that can score as well."

Brassard was returned to the Voltigeurs for the 2006–07 season but suffered a serious shoulder injury during a pre-season game and spent the rest of the season sidelined, appearing in only 14 games.

On November 20, 2016, Brassard's number 61 was retired by the Voltigeurs as part of their 35th season celebrations. He scored 75 goals, 143 assists and 218 points in 151 games with the Voltigeurs. His linemate Guillaume Latendresse had his number 22 retired later the same season.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Brassard signed a three-year entry level contract with the Blue Jackets on September 21, 2006.

Brassard began the 2007–08 season with the Blue Jackets' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. Following his first month, he was named the AHL's Rookie of the Month. While a broken jaw sidelined him for two months, he continued to put up impressive numbers in the league.

Brassard was recalled to Columbus on January 10, 2008. However, after playing 17 games with the Blue Jackets, where he registered one goal and one assist, Brassard was sent back to the Crunch on February 27, totalling 26 points upon his return to finish the regular season.

In an attempt to assure himself a roster spot for the 2008–09 season, Brassard, among several other players, spent the 2008 off-season in Columbus with the Blue Jackets personal training staff, just as forward Jared Boll had done the previous off-season. Brassard made the team out of camp for 2008–09 and performed remarkably well, being named NHL Rookie of the Month for October 2008 with the most points by any NHL rookie, closely followed by linemate and fellow Jackets first round draft pick Jakub Voracek.

On December 18, 2008, Brassard was injured during the first period of Columbus' 6–5 shootout loss at the Dallas Stars during a fight with the Stars' rookie winger James Neal. In the fight, he suffered a dislocated shoulder and had to undergo surgery. At the time of his injury, Brassard had 10 goals, 15 assists, with 17 PIM and a plus-minus rating of +12 in 31 games, leading the NHL in rookie scoring.

During the lock-out-shortened 2012–13 season, on April 3, 2013, Brassard was dealt in a trade deadline day deal by the Blue Jackets, along with Derek Dorsett, John Moore and a sixth-round draft pick, to the New York Rangers in exchange for forward Marian Gaborik and two minor league defencemen.

New York Rangers

On July 27, 2014, Brassard signed a five-year, $25 million contract extension with the Rangers.

In the 2014–15 season, Brassard enjoyed career highs, recording 19 goals and 41 assists, for a total of 60 points. He also led the Rangers in playoff goals and points.

Ottawa Senators

After four years with the Rangers, on July 18, 2016, he was traded along with a 2018 7th round draft pick, to the Ottawa Senators for Mika Zibanejad and a 2018 2nd round draft pick. The trade had been agreed upon weeks prior, at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. However the Senators did not want to pay a $2 million bonus that Brassard was due to earn on July 15, so they stalled the trade for a few weeks.

Regular season and playoffs

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2004	Canada Quebec	U17	03 !		6	1	0	1	4
2005	Canada	WJC	02 !		6	0	4	4	6
2016	Canada	WC	01 !		10	5	6	11	4
Junior totals					12	1	4	5	10
Senior totals					10	5	6	11	4

• 2003–04 – U17 WHC Bronze Medal
• 2004–05 – CHL All-Rookie Team
• 2004–05 – QMJHL All-Rookie Team
• 2004–05 – QMJHL Offensive Rookie of the Year (Michel Bergeron Trophy)
• 2004–05 – QMJHL Rookie of the Year
• 2004–05 – U18 WJC Silver Medal
• 2005–06 – CHL Second All-Star Team
• 2005–06 – QMJHL Best Professional Prospect (Mike Bossy Trophy)
• 2005–06 – QMJHL First All-Star Team
• 2007–08 – AHL All-Star Game
• 2008–09 – NHL Rookie of the Month (October 2008)
• "'2015 - 16"' - WC Gold Medal