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CBJ Draft History Pt 2– Number 6 continued (ft. the Active NHL “Suitcase”)

July 6, 2022, 3:14 PM ET [1 Comments]
Zak MacMillan
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
As we role into NHL Draft weekend, check me out on Twitter @ZakMacBuzz for the poll on the best 6th overall pick in Columbus history:



Now, into the main story:

In back to back years the Columbus Blue Jackets drafted at the 6th overall selection. In this draft, they went with a French center iceman in Derrick Brassard from the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the QMJHL.

With Drummondville, his most notable junior teammate Guilliaume Latendresse. In 151 games, Brassard accumulated 218 points (75 goals, 143 assists); 141 PIM; and a +18 over that span.

After 4 years in major Junior development in Canada, he split his only season with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL and the big club. With the Crunch, Brassard put up 51 points in 42 games, plus 13 points in 13 playoff games. In his first 17 games of his career, he had one goal and one assist.

Brassard would never look back at the Crunch after that, remaining with the big club until his part of one of the largest trades in Columbus Blue Jackets history. Brassard’s 309 game Columbus career capped at 169 points (58 goals, 111 assists) with 184 PIM and a -42 rating.

The trade he was a part of also featured draft mate Derek Dorsett, defender John Moore, and a 2014 draft pick in the 6th round moving to the New York Rangers. The return for Columbus was winger Marian Gaborik, a returning Steven Delisle (part of the Rick Nash deal), and defenseman Blake Parlett.



Brassard would enjoy his first and most playoff success in his career with the Rangers making it every year with them. In 254 regular season games, Brassard had 174 points (69 goals, 105 assists) with 110 PIM and a +26 rating. Meanwhile, the playoffs brought the Quebecois 59 games with 18 goals and 27 assists for 45 points. These were the Tortorella Rangers’ teams that came up short to the 2014 Cup winners in Los Angeles and the 2015 Cup runner ups in the Tampa Bay Lightning.



During the 2015-16 offseason, the Pierre-Luc Dubois draft, the Rangers moved Brassard and his back diving contract to the Ottawa Senators with a 7th rounder in 2018 for forward Mika Zibanejad and a 2018 2 rounder. In 139 regular season career with the hometown team, Brassard enjoyed regular and postseason appearances for more consecutive seasons than the team that ever drafted him. His regular season success totaled to 32 goals and 45 helpers for 77 points at a +11 rating and 54PIM. The 2016-17 playoffs had Brassard capped at the Eastern Conference finals. With 19 games, the center had 4 goals plus an additional 7 assists for 11 points.



With that being the “collapse year” from the Pittsburgh run, Brassard was quickly flipped out of Ottawa to join the Penguins, in a three team deal to join the Penguins in a move that also featured Ryan Reaves joining the Vegas Golden Knights to facilitate the salary cap of Pittsburgh at the time; as well as mid round picks being swapped. In parts of 2 seasons with the Penguins and one playoff run, Brassard’s reduced role got him 54 games 12 goals 11 assists 23 points -5 rating 33PIM plus 12 playoff games with 1 goal, 3 assists, for 4 points.




In another trade in the following year, Brassard was migrated to Florida with picks for a late playoff push for Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann. With just 10 games in Sunrise, he got 1 goal 3 assists 4 points -6 rating 2PIM. In the same month, the journeyman moved once again to join the Colorado Avalanche for a mid round draft pick for their playoff run, and for his personal streak to continue. In the final 20 games of the 18-19 season he played with the Avs, he had only 4 goals with a -7 rating and 8PIM. The playoffs had him just one assist in 9 games.




The summer of 2019 became the first time he was a free agent in his career, and he would join the free agent market again in 2020, and 2021 to be a part of 3 different organizations: New York Islanders, Arizona Coyotes, and Philadelphia Flyers.




In his only campaign with the Islanders, he had 32 points (10 goals, 22 assists) in 66 games with a -2 rating and 16 PIM plus 18 playoff games. Coming up short to the Lightning (again), he had 2 goals, 6 assists for 8 points.




The next season, the full COVID season, would be his only season missing the playoffs since leaving Columbus to date. With the Arizona Coyotes, in 53 games, his role was elevated, and his role came back with 8 goals and 12 assists for 20 points with a -10 rating and 12PIM




In the 21–22 season with Philly, he was moved a the deadline to the Edmonton Oilers and made it to the Western Conference finals to be swept. With the Flyers, he suited up 31 contests, racking 16 points (6 goals and 10 assists) with a +6 and 10PIM. After the deadline, his 15 Edmonton Oilers’ contests added an extra 3 points (2 goals, 1 assist), with a -2 rating and 6PIM. As a black ace for the Western Conference Finals, Brassard was pointless in only one postseason appearance with Edmonton.



Currently, he is a pending UFA with rumors speculating his potential retirement.

Since being drafted in 2006 at number 6, he has been with:

Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)
Syracuse Crunch (AHL)
Columbus Blue Jackets
Austria (due to lockout)
New York Rangers
Ottawa Senators
Pittsburgh Penguins
Florida Panthers
Colorado Avalanche
New York Islanders
Arizona Coyotes
Philadelphia Flyers
Edmonton Oilers

That is 13 different jerseys in 16 years of hockey. Makes sense for a potential retirement, also being the player with most active former teams in the league, it makes him the current suitcase.

This puts his career stats at : (stats per Hockey Reference)

Career NHL 15 yrs
951 games 202 goals 320 assists 522 points -31 rating 435 PIM

Career NHL Playoffs

118 games 25 goals 44 assists 69 points




The question remains: is this the best number 6 selection in Columbus history? Last part coming tomorrow on part 3, the rest of the class, and the rumors before the biggest day plus birthday celebrations here! More is coming!
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