NHL forward Derick Brassard has decided to retire from professional hockey.
He shared this news with Mathias Brunet of La Presse, revealing that he won’t be returning after tearing a ligament in his ankle during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers on March 30, 2023. This injury was similar to the one that sidelined Tampa Bay Lightning’s Mikhail Sergachev at the start of the season. Brassard mentioned they talked about their recovery journeys. Although he felt he could have played later in the season, changes in coaching and team lineups made him prioritize his health over pushing through. “I was starting to find [playing] heavy. I was often on the therapist’s table playing as many matches as possible,” Brassard told Brunet. “It’s frustrating when you’re not 100% for your match. I still scored 13 goals [in 63 games] my final year. I could have pushed, but with the ankle, it was enough. I didn’t want to risk another operation.”
Brassard’s career began brightly when he was picked sixth overall in the 2006 NHL Draft by Columbus Blue Jackets. He spent another year in juniors before turning pro in the 2007-08 season, where he played 17 NHL games and dominated in minors with 64 points across 55 games during regular season and playoffs. This would be his only AHL stint as he soon secured a spot in Columbus’ middle-six lineup by 2008.
Career Highlights:
In 2013, Brassard got traded to New York Rangers, marking some of his best years on ice. He hit a career-high of 60 points during the 2014-15 season and racked up an impressive total of 44 points over 59 postseason games while with New York.
Leaving New York in 2016 started a whirlwind tour around NHL for Brassard; seven seasons without staying more than two years at any club followed suit. His journey included stints with Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins, Colorado Avalanche, and Edmonton Oilers among others but never quite matched his success from New York days.
Fans might think it’s sad to see such an iconic player hang up his skates after so many memorable moments.
Brassard wraps up his career having scored 215 goals and accumulated 545 points along with spending 465 minutes in penalty box across an impressive tally of 1,013 games.
What do you think about Brassard retiring? Is it time or did he have more left?
