Over the weekend I have seen Derick Brassard’s name brought up in different sections of the media in a negative light. There has been some insinuation that the team is getting tired of Derick Brassard and that he hasn’t helped the team.

My COLUMN from PPG Paints Arena is on Derick Brassard, why #Penguins are fed up with him, what they're going to do about it ... all exclusive

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— Dejan Kovacevic (@Dejan_Kovacevic) December 2, 2018

Since acquiring Derick Brassard in return for Ian Cole, Filip Gustavsson and a first round pick in February, the Penguins have lost 30 of 57 games (27-23-7.)

— Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe_PGH) December 2, 2018

Let’s say the team is tired of Brassard, now what? The past two years haven’t had many good personnel moves. This was supposed to be one of the positives. Injuries certainly have had a negative impact on the move, but when the Penguins have had all three centers in the lineup the results have been good.

Following up on a point @SethRorabaugh made the other night, but the Penguins have only had Crosby-Malkin-Brassard in the lineup together for 12 games this season. They are 8-1-3 in those games and averaged more than four goals per game.

— Adam Gretz (@AGretz) November 28, 2018

Even if the Penguins are getting frustrated with how Brassard is playing I’m not sure trading him is going to solve anything. If they end up trading Brassard it is just another move Rutherford made that he has had to undo himself. Why are all the players that he acquires not working? At some point you have to start pointing some fingers. Is it the coaching? Because the only other option is that the person making the roster moves is whiffing on everything lately. In a worst case scenario it’s both and very well could be.

The Penguins shouldn’t have a problem finding a suitor for Derick Brassard. He is a pending UFA on a very reasonable cap hit and trading for center depth isn’t the easiest thing to do. Which begs the question: How do the Penguins improve by trading Derick Brassard? What other third line centers are out there? There is no way you can move Derick Brassard and fill that lineup spot from within. The Penguins internal options are absolutely not good enough. Riley Sheahan cannot be the third line center. Matt Cullen isn’t even a fourth line center at this point. Who is going to play there? To quote the great Ned Braden, “Is the answer, Jesus”.

Trading Brassard for futures does nothing for this team and what they are at the moment. If you trade Brassard for a defenseman doesn’t that just pour gasoline on the tire fire that is the Jack Johnson situation?

The Penguins are nowhere without a functional third line that is capable of generating offense. Brassard has a huge sample of being good enough offensively. It’s time for the coach to come up with some better combos or strategies. It’s time for the general manager to start hitting on some of his roster decisions.

It is going to take some real creativity for a Brassard trade to make sense for the Penguins. I’ll be looking for some options in the days to come

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— Ryan Wilson (@GunnerStaal) December 2, 2018

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