When the Flyers signed Derick Brassard just over a month ago, he was viewed as nothing more than a depth piece. Perhaps a safety net in the bottom six. Now, after the injury to Kevin Hayes (and less so Wade Allison), Brassard is looking more and more like a necessary signing.
The 34-year-old forward had the best years of his career with the New York Rangers under Alain Vigneault. From 2013 to 2016, Brassard missed just five regular-season games. He recorded 163 points (64 goals, 99 assists) in 241 games for the Blueshirts. In recent years, Brassard has become more of a defensive-minded center with his play-driving taking a dip.