Player Discussion: Derick Brassard 2019-20

[pursuit81]

These quotes make me feel good he will bounce back. The buy in already.

"I'm looking to bounce back this year," Brassard said. "I had a bad eight or nine months, but I've played some good hockey for the past couple of years. People are going to think about what just happened. For me, I'm just going to try to move on from that season and for me, I'm going to use it as motivation to come back even stronger."

Ultimately, a meeting with Barry Trotz and Lou Lamoriello tipped the scales, as Brassard inked a one-year contract with the Islanders on Wednesday.

"I think it's a really good fit for me with the Islanders," Brassard said. "They play four lines, in your face and they use everyone. I'm just looking forward to having a big role on the team to help them go back to the Stanley Cup playoffs."

"The first thing [Beau] told me was how dialed in the team was to play together, play on the same page and play as a team," Brassard said. "For me that fits really well.

When was the last time you heard a player in Brassard's situation not say exactly these same kinds of things? I like the move and the price tag, but all of the talk is just that. We'll see.

 

[Duanesutter12]

D'ya think? If nothing else, Val is trending up while Brassard fell off a cliff. If the contracts were equal, I'd probably prefer Val. But if its Brassard for a year and Val for two, I'll go with Brassard. Hopefully this is a one year deal ala Val's deal last year. Perfectly fine with that.

IIRC, he's pretty good at the face dot, right? I'm too lazy to actually look it up right now.

He may be trending up but he's 35 While Brassard is 31. Filppula wasn't exactly a hot commodity last summer and the preception certainly wasn't that he was trending up. Brassard had a bad year last year but I see no reason why he couldn't turn it around.

 

[BelovedIsles]

I happen to like Brassard. I wanted him over KO in ‘06.

He’s got better wheels than Filp, isn’t as smart, but has better pure skill Imho. Can slot him on the PP2, maybe a skilled player like JHS develops chemistry w him. Solid 3rd line center. Yay, Lou did something.

Not hopeful about the top 6 goalscorer.

 

[BelovedIsles]

And much like how Panarin's camp no doubt leaked to Bob McKenzie that the Isles were the frontrunners for him the night before to extract every last dollar from the rangers, I wouldn't be surprised if the exact same thing is happening again here.

When the Isles do anything you never hear about it...Until they actually do it. So to me that there is a rumor as opposed to signing announcement, the odds are we won't be signing Brassard.

In this sense we are talking about pennies then.

 

[duster19]

He may be trending up but he's 35 While Brassard is 31. Filppula wasn't exactly a hot commodity last summer and the preception certainly wasn't that he was trending up. Brassard had a bad year last year but I see no reason why he couldn't turn it around.

There is potential for upside. He will have a chip on his shoulder which fits the team identity. I’ve been pretty negative about it as I was hoping for a more established centre. But if he finds some magic he has a history of putting of points. He’s also a left hand shot for the power play. I hope they play him with some skill players like JHS or Beau and not Kom or Kuhn.

 

[Duanesutter12]

There is potential for upside. He will have a chip on his shoulder which fits the team identity. I’ve been pretty negative about it as I was hoping for a more established centre. But if he finds some magic he has a history of putting of points. He’s also a left hand shot for the power play. I hope they play him with some skill players like JHS or Beau and not Kom or Kuhn.

I hate to say this but Uncle Leo is a bit of a liability at this point. He's just not anything other than a fourth line guy that can check and grind. If Clutter was out for an extended period then I could see him in that role although he's not really an agitator.

 

[boredmale]

He’s got better wheels than Filp, isn’t as smart, but has better pure skill Imho. Can slot him on the PP2, maybe a skilled player like JHS develops chemistry w him. Solid 3rd line center. Yay, Lou did something.

My 2 cents is the Islander need to have scoring by committee so the idea of line 2 or line 3 or line 4 really doesn't work with us. It's more like 2.5a and 2.5b. I actually think Ho Sang might be a better fit with goal scorer Nelson then Brassard

 

[BelovedIsles]

My 2 cents is the Islander need to have scoring by committee so the idea of line 2 or line 3 or line 4 really doesn't work with us. It's more like 2.5a and 2.5b. I actually think Ho Sang might be a better fit with goal scorer Nelson then Brassard

Always like your 2 cents bored.

I’m doubtful that JHS can usurp Bailey on the 2nd line (agreed, JHS worked well w Brock). If he’s going to stick, imho it’s the 3rd or 2b, if you will. My concern is his defense, I am thoroughly convinced that JHS can’t play enough D AND still contribute offense. Brassard isn’t smart or D savvy enough to cover for him, like Filp/Leo.

Nonetheless, there is going to be quite the battle for that top 13; add a scorer, make it more interesting. C’mon Lou.

 

[MattMartin]

Love the signing, that is all.

 

[leeroggy]

Trade Leddy and Dal Colle for a 2nd line winger and then the 3rd line goes Beau / Brassard / Ho-Sang. That's an enormous improvement to our offense.

 

[Strummergas]

Well, most people here were pretty down on the Filppula signing last year, and we know how that turned out. Not saying Brassard will have the same type of bounce-back season, but we do know that it can happen.

 

[Cameraguy]

Well, most people here were pretty down on the Filppula signing last year, and we know how that turned out. Not saying Brassard will have the same type of bounce-back season, but we do know that it can happen.

It can happen, it's all about the coach.

 

[crasherino]

When was the last time you heard a player in Brassard's situation not say exactly these same kinds of things? I like the move and the price tag, but all of the talk is just that. We'll see.

True - its all just sound bytes. The one thing that I did like though was this:

Brassard has been training hard this offseason, which he cited as his first healthy summer in the past few years. He had wrist surgeries in 2015 and 2017, and dealt with a groin injury at the end of the 2018 regular season. Factor in a productive, but long 2016 season, where he led Team Canada in scoring at the IIHF Worlds, and this is Brassard's first true summer feeling refreshed in some time.

These guys are so often banged up and we - as fans - have no idea. I'm guessing about 30% of them have some type of surgery/procedure in the off season that we don't even know about. Those injuries can last into the regular season or at least hinder their training. If nothing else, I'm glad to hear that he's feeling good. The rest? Just the usual puff. But I'm sure that an accomplished player like him will use his crap season as motivation. We don't need sound bytes to know that. That's just the norm with competitive egos that make up professional athletics.

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

We've had pretty good success with the 1 year prove-it deals for veteran "character" type guys, I like it.

 

[Costigan77]

True - its all just sound bytes. The one thing that I did like though was this:



These guys are so often banged up and we - as fans - have no idea. I'm guessing about 30% of them have some type of surgery/procedure in the off season that we don't even know about. Those injuries can last into the regular season or at least hinder their training. If nothing else, I'm glad to hear that he's feeling good. The rest? Just the usual puff. But I'm sure that an accomplished player like him will use his crap season as motivation. We don't need sound bytes to know that. That's just the norm with competitive egos that make up professional athletics.

Reading Clutterbuck's injuries at the end of the season, I am in awe that this guy was skating. Rotated vertebrae, slipped discs and a stress fracture. And he is still trying to run people through the boards

 

[crasherino]

Reading Clutterbuck's injuries at the end of the season, I am in awe that this guy was skating. Rotated vertebrae, slipped discs and a stress fracture. And he is still trying to run people through the boards

And there were recent reports that he's already back skating this summer. Unreal.

I can only imagine what shape some of these guys are in when they hit 50. These guys have to pay the piper at some point. I wonder if Brett Favre has ever woken up not in pain.

 

[periferal]

 

[DalGoal4Cups]

I wonder if Brett Favre has ever woken up not in pain.

He lived a great life making millions stacked on millions, a star to all packer fans. NFL hall of fame. Waking in pain? yea maybe. So are a lot of construction workers, coal miners, steel workers. Except minus the glory mansions and millions. I feel no sympathy for these guys. They are the .00000000001% of humans on the planet that live a life playing a sport while making bank. They should consider themselves lucky, and no one should pity them.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

When was the last time you heard a player in Brassard's situation not say exactly these same kinds of things? I like the move and the price tag, but all of the talk is just that. We'll see.

How awesome would it be if a player said:

"I don't really give a crap where I play. I'm in my 30's, been around and have no delusions. I just want to bank a few more millions before I retire and GTFO. Not many teams are knocking on my door at this point so I just took the first deal that my agent said I should take. I don't know half of the guys on the team and don't really care to. I will show up to practice, play the games and go home to my family. And I'm not signing any autographs."

 

[Islanders4Cups]

Brassard is a versatile addition.
He is a step up from what we had on the powerplay.

 

[pursuit81]

How awesome would it be if a player said:

"I don't really give a crap where I play. I'm in my 30's, been around and have no delusions. I just want to bank a few more millions before I retire and GTFO. Not many teams are knocking on my door at this point so I just took the first deal that my agent said I should take. I don't know half of the guys on the team and don't really care to. I will show up to practice, play the games and go home to my family. And I'm not signing any autographs."

An intentional exaggeration I know, but yes, you've gotten my point exactly.

 

[saintunspecified]

I am very meh on this signing. I don't think Filppula's ability last year to create offense for himself playing with offensive plugs was sustainable, so I didn't mind not resigning him especially for the money he got. But I'm not confident in Brassard creating offense with similarly untalented wingers either.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

I am very meh on this signing. I don't think Filppula's ability last year to create offense for himself playing with offensive plugs was sustainable, so I didn't mind not resigning him especially for the money he got. But I'm not confident in Brassard creating offense with similarly untalented wingers either.

It's fine. He's essentially a 4th liner (given Cizikas' line). Good depth, anything he chips in is a bonus really. If we're relying on Brassard to create significant offense we have problems (which I guess we may lol!).

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this. But Brassard's Playoff scoring numbers for a #3C are pretty good.

2013 12GP 12 pts
2014 23GP 12 pts
2015 19GP 16pts
2016 5GP 4pts
2017 19GP 11pts

Overall 99 GP 60 pts. Very respectable for a non top 6 fwd.

 

[seafoam]

I am very meh on this signing. I don't think Filppula's ability last year to create offense for himself playing with offensive plugs was sustainable, so I didn't mind not resigning him especially for the money he got. But I'm not confident in Brassard creating offense with similarly untalented wingers either.

Well that’s the catch, if Brassard is playing with some combination of guys like Bailey/Beauvillier/Dal Colle/Ho-Sang + Hiller’s powerplay, it’s probably a solid signing and would give this team more scoring depth down the lineup.

If he’s going to be playing with some combination of guys like Fritz/Johnston/Komarov/Kuhnhackl, the signing is will bust and Boyle would have probably have been a better fit.

I want to see Ho-Sang earn a middle six spot playing with Lee and Nelson. Dal Colle would fit well with Brassard and Bailey for a third line that is respectable compared to any third line with Komarov on it. Brassard and Komarov will be a mess and is 2/3rds of a mediocre fourth line, Brassard + Bailey and a younger forward with upside lends me much more optimism and can be a respectable third line.