Senators' Derick Brassard a worthy candidate for prestigious Masterton Trophy

Derick Brassard wrote a beautiful story this season – and nearly got out of it intact. 

Sadly, the veteran Ottawa Senators forward got tangled up with Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Felix Sandstrom in a home game March 30 and suffered a broken fibula. 

 The injury might have ended Brassard’s season, but it did not diminish it. Brassard, 35, is Ottawa’s Masterton Trophy nominee, an award which rewards players for their perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. It is presented by the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) and honours Bill Masterton a former member of the Minnesota North Stars who died in 1968 after suffering a head injury in a game. 

Brassard spoke to reporters about his nomination prior to the injury he suffered against the Flyers. 

“I was pretty surprised and at the same time really honoured to represent the team,” Brassard said.

He noted that previous nominees include his former teammates, Bobby Ryan and Craig Anderson. They both went on to win the Masterton Trophy, Anderson in 2017 and Ryan in 2020. 

You want an example of perseverance? Brassard is the essence of the trait. 

Over a 15-year NHL career, Brassard has played for 10 different organizations, including two stints with the Senators. He was part of the 2016-17 team that reached the Eastern Conference final before losing in double overtime to Pittsburgh. 

Last summer, he continued training as though he had a place to play in the fall, but he actually didn’t. He reached out to various teams and wound up attending the Senators' camp on a PTO. A PTO is a “professional tryout,” but tends to mean - Past The Optimum date for a contract. 

Though competition was fierce, Brassard won a spot at camp and appeared in 62 games. His 13 goals was the most he had scored since he had 18 for the 2017-18 Senators.  

A prime motivating force was the opportunity to reach the 1,000-game plateau. To fulfill the script, Brassard did it on March 2 versus his former New York Rangers team. Living up to his ‘Big Game Brass’ moniker, Brassard put a cherry on that cake by scoring twice in a 5-3 Senators victory. 

“It was pretty special,” Brassard says. “Playing in the Garden, against my former team. And putting some goals on the board for the guys was special. I will remember that day for a long time.”

Just getting to that 1,000th game required a giant leap of faith on the part of Brassard. After playing just 31 games for the Flyers last season, and then another 15 for the Edmonton Oilers after the trade deadline, plus one playoff game with Edmonton, Brassard wasn’t sure if he still had a future at this level. As a player, at least. 

He is too classy to feel the NHL owed him another season. 

“I think it’s a privilege to play in this league,” he says. “Like anything in life, it moves on and I’m getting older.”

After last season, he took a couple of weeks off to think about his future. And he went to the gym, as much to keep his familiar routine as anything. 

“Basically, I was just, like, trying to stay ready,” he says. “I had a bunch of people around me that helped me to push a little harder, try for one more year.”

Specifically, he cites his family, his girlfriend, Elisabeth Lefebvre, and several off-season coaches, including skating coach Sebastien Bordeleau, a former Gatineau Olympiques forward. Brassard skated with a bunch of pros who live in Montreal. 

“Traveling around from team to team was pretty hard mentally, but going into the summer without a contract I was just hoping for the best. I kept working and working. And made the team out of camp.”

Brassard is beyond grateful for the chance to play again in Ottawa, across the river from the city of Hull, where he was born. Since 2020, Brassard has been part owner of the Olympiques of the QMJHL. 

Injuries were a big part of Ottawa’s season and helped Brassard get opportunities, including on the second unit power play. With centre Josh Norris missing almost the entire season with a shoulder injury, Brassard was one of the forwards who stepped up to fill a need. 

“Playing and having a role, that’s the only thing a player can ask for,” he says. “I love the group here. We have a good group of guys. They’re really talented and it’s been a lot of fun this year.”

Along with his playing role, Brassard says he tried to be like a “good older brother” to some of the younger Senators. 

In September, he turns 36. It’s been 17 years since Brassard was a skinny kid, drafted 6th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets after parts of four junior seasons with Drummondville. 

Brassard said he hasn’t decided yet about trying to play another season. And he said that before he was so badly injured on March 30. He has since had surgery to repair the fractured fibula, and the time frame for healing is six to eight weeks, according to Senators head coach D.J. Smith. 

If he does retire, Brassard has the personality to be a good coach, but he’s not sure he wants that path. Montreal Canadiens assistant coach Alex Burrows has let Brassard know there is a lot of computer time involved in coaching.

“I think I see myself more on the management side of it,” Brassard says. 

Any team would be lucky to have him. 

“Whether it’s management, coaching or TV, he’ll be in hockey for sure,” Smith says. “He’s knowledgeable. His experiences will allow him to do it and he loves it.”