Former Penguins forward Derick Brassard signs in Switzerland
Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Derick Brassard has come out of retirement and signed with Genève-Servette of Switzerland’s National League.
That team announced the transaction Tuesday.
Brassard, 38, had retired in June of 2024 after missing the entire 2023-24 season due to an ankle injury. He last played during the 2022-23 season as a member of the Ottawa Senators.
A left-handed shot, Brassard played 16 seasons in the NHL, including parts of two campaigns with the Penguins in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
Former Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford swung a major three-team blockbuster trade Feb. 23, 2018, to acquire Brassard from the Senators (the Vegas Golden Knights also were involved in the transaction).
As the Penguins were attempting to three-peat as Stanley Cup champions, management had designs for Brassard — typically a top-six forward — to serve as their third-line center behind franchise pillars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Those ambitions never were realized, however, as Brassard suffered a groin injury late in the regular season and hobbled into the postseason, where the Penguins were eliminated in the second round by the rival Washington Capitals.
Brassard opened the 2018-19 season as the third-line center but never fully adapted to the role and even was even utilized as a top-six winger at times with limited success.
Less than a year after joining the Penguins, Brassard was traded to the Florida Panthers on Feb. 1, 2019.
In 54 regular-season games with the Penguins, Brassard had 23 points (12 goals, 11 assists) and averaged 15 minutes of ice time.
DERICK BRASSARD IN ALOOOOONE......
SCOOOOOORES! WHAT A PASS BY SHEARY! pic.twitter.com/VHVRaSE88r
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) March 25, 2018
A first-round pick (No. 6 overall) in 2016 by the Columbus Blue Jackets, Brassard played for 10 teams over his NHL career. In addition to the Penguins, Senators, Blue Jackets and Panthers, Brassard suited up for the New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche, New York Islanders, Arizona Coyotes, Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers.
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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