December 30: Morgan reports that Brassard’s deal will be for one-year and $1.2MM in Arizona, while CapFriendly tweets that it is just for $1MM. The Coyotes have officially announced the term of the contract, though did not confirm the financial details. GM Bill Armstrong released a short statement on his new forward:
We are very pleased to welcome Derick to our Pack. Derick is an experienced, skilled forward who can play center or wing and contribute offensively. He is also very effective in the face-off circle. We look forward to having him in our lineup this season.
December 28: Phil Kessel and Derick Brassard, together again. Originally reported by former NHL forward Guillaume Latendresse and subsequently confirmed by several others including Craig Morgan of AZ Coyotes Insider, the Arizona Coyotes are working on a one-year deal with Brassard, an unrestricted free agent.
The 33-year-old Brassard experienced something of a career renaissance last season, finding a role with the New York Islanders and recording 32 points in 66 games. He was a strong performer in the postseason bubble as well, scoring eight points in 18 games for the Islanders even while averaging just 12 minutes a night. That came after a dreadful 2018-19 campaign that saw him struggle with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Florida Panthers, and Colorado Avalanche, scoring just 23 points combined for the three teams. By signing with the Coyotes, Brassard would be joining the eighth NHL team of his career and fifth in just over two years.
Arizona recently sent Derek Stepan—a former teammate of Brassard’s—to the Ottawa Senators, opening up some room down the middle for a veteran player on a more inexpensive deal. Brassard is certainly that, and actually still does come with a long history of offensive success. A two-time 20-goal scorer, Brassard has registered at least 40 points in a season on six different occasions and has recorded double-digit goal totals in each of the last ten seasons. While his ability to play at the top of a lineup may have diminished, he still represents a solid depth add for the Coyotes as they try to get back to the playoffs.
Not only will he provide some offense and veteran depth, but if the Coyotes decide to pull the plug at any point this season he could be another trade asset. The team already has Alex Goligoski, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Jason Demers, Jordan Oesterle, Ilya Lyubushkin, Drake Caggiula, and Antti Raanta on expiring deals, meaning the trade deadline could be used as a reset button to restock a draft cupboard that has been ravaged in recent years.
Desert Dogs signing a lazy dog.
Yeah, so lazy he’s played what? 14 years in the NHL. He will probably sign for next to nothing, not bad for a “lazy dog” who netted 32 points in 66 games. You should be so lucky…..
We actually were “so lucky” and the lazy piece of trash “couldn’t get up” for the games because he wasn’t top 6 ahead of Sid or Geno.
His words.
He’s a wretched DOG.
320 Driver why are you trying to be a hero?
All I’M saying is…. it appears you think you know MORE then you know with regards to NHL talent. Your “wretched Dog” is not looked upon the same way as the numerous GM’s that keep giving him jobs eh? No small wonder you’re only a armchair GM. Nothing else.
#sourgrapes
Ah, “appeal to authority”. Impressive retort. I’m assuming English is your second language so I won’t fault you for your myriad misuses of it.
GM’s get fired all the time because they make the wrong moves, Champ. Often for overlooking character.
And they keep giving him jobs for 25% or less of what he used to make before it became obvious he was a DOG. So, becoming a lazy DOG was a bad career move by that lazy DOG.
In actuality. I speak 3 languages. I’m a airline captain for the largest airline in the world, and have final authority on ALL operational decisions. I wasn’t aware we were being tested for sentence structure on a hockey rumor page, for most, it’s a time to let our guard down in that regard….tool. By your retort, it appears you have racist tendencies. Not surprising, you probably cherish your red MAGA hat as well.
You require your “guard” up to know the difference between “then” and than, etc.?
But, I’ll overlook your unprovoked insults, your insecure need to use your resume to justify your opinion and your bizarre accusations for your use of the red hat as a pejorative. Even if you don’t know how to spot them.
And Brassard is a DOG. You attempting to insult me doesn’t change that fact.
That just you’re opinion though. That doesn’t mean it’s correct.
What do you call a professional athlete who admits that he didn’t give maximum (or even sufficient) effort?
The common terminology for such a player is a DOG.
Brassard admitted that he didn’t give a proper effort because he couldn’t motivate himself playing in a third line role behind Sid and Geno, thus…DOG.
Poor baby Josh! Thanks for emerging from moms basement and suspending what I’m sure is a typical day of gaming and pot smoking. You’re the type of person that got a B plus in English class, but has failed in every other aspect of life. Hence your unprovoked initial insult directed at me, (probably a byproduct of your lack of self esteem) I only gave you a taste of your own medicine. And hey! Thanks for noticing my impressive resume, I’m pretty proud of myself. If you are a good little boy, I’ll let you take a picture of yourself wearing my Captains hat while sitting in my left seat of my jet.
Oh, and I’m done with you. Now that I’m sure you’ve finished the sandwich your mom made you for lunch, you’re eager to get back to your “call of duty” and bong hits.
If you’re a real pilot and spend your day arguing and insulting strangers on the internet as a form of entertainment or stress relief, you’re not my kind of pilot.
It’s pretty obvious that he works at a Pilot Flying J truck stop.
And meanwhile, what was his big brilliant point…that anyone who isn’t an NHL GM should not make comments about hockey…on a hockey site.
If not for the King of the Red Hats himself, I’d say this is the most insecure person I’ve ever encountered. And, of course, it manifests itself in belligerence.
“Sad!”
Nothing wrong with Call of Duty, and huts from a bong! Sounds a little like jealousy you can’t enjoy that because of your job.
Good pickup at that price. At this point he’s probably best suited on the fourth or maybe third line but he should still be able to help their young forward group.
I love it when people are so willing to call players lazy. like you know so well what the effort level is.
I’m quoting Brassard himself. So, unless you are calling him a liar, in this case I do know actually what the effort level was…from the DOG’s mouth.
The eye test and his point totals corroborate his confession.
Calling Brassard a DOG is an insult to my dog and dogs around the world. For whatever reason, his time in Pittsburgh was a disappointment. JR whiffed on that trade.