The Rangers are bringing back a familiar face, and this time Derick Brassard is headed into the front office.
According to a league source, New York is hiring the former center as a player development assistant, and he will report directly to new director Tanner Glass. It’s the latest move in a summer of changes for a franchise that has been reshaping both the roster and the people around it.
Brassard fits the job on paper in a way that’s hard to miss. He played 1,013 regular season games and appeared in 118 playoff games, giving the Rangers a veteran voice with a long runway of experience to draw from. Drafted sixth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2007, Brassard eventually carved out his reputation as a player who bounced around the league and stuck because he knew how to survive, adapt and contribute.
His time in New York is the part that still stands out. Over four seasons and 254 regular season games with the Rangers, Brassard posted 69 goals, 105 assists and 174 points, the highest total he recorded with any team. In the playoffs, he added 18 goals and 26 assists for 44 points in 59 games, production that helped earn him the “Big Game Brass” nickname.
That background makes him a natural fit for development work. He can speak to what it means to arrive as a top pick, deal with the pressure that comes with that label, and then navigate the bumps that followed in Columbus before finding another gear in New York. He also understands what it takes to last in the league when the game starts asking more of you later in your career.
The Rangers have been criticized for not always having the right kind of former players in key developmental roles, and this move seems aimed at addressing that. Glass, who replaced Jed Ortmeyer, was a fan favorite in a hard-nosed role, and Brassard brings a different kind of value: skill, perspective and firsthand knowledge of how to extend a career.
For president and general manager Chris Drury, the hire is another visible sign of a franchise makeover that has become impossible to ignore. His decisions have drawn plenty of scrutiny, and whether they pay off remains to be seen.
But the direction is clear. He is putting his stamp on the organization, and Brassard’s return is one more piece of that overhaul.
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