Former No. 6 Overall Pick Announces Retirement After 16 Seasons

If he's remembered for nothing else in his 16-year career, former No. 6 overall draft pick Derick Brassard will always be known as "Big Game Brass." Now, he's officially hung up the skates.

Former New York Ranger Derick Brassard has announced his retirement. Big game Brass was one of my favorites. Guy always showed up in the playoffs! Over 1000 NHL games, great career! #NYR pic.twitter.com/LrupxQKYgu
— Kyle Hall (@KHallNY) June 23, 2024

A torn ankle ligament near the end of the 2022-23 season essentially is what ended Brassard's career, as he never returned after that, and sat out this past season.

“I was starting to find [playing] heavy," he told La Presse. "I was often on the therapist’s table playing as many matches as possible. It’s frustrating when you’re not 100% for your match. I still scored 13 goals [in 63 games] my final year. I could have pushed, but with the ankle, it was enough. I didn’t want to risk another operation.”

Brassard was known for coming up big in the playoffs (hence, the nickname), most notably for the New York Rangers where he had 18 goals and 44 points in 59 postseason games along with a +13 rating. He spent the best years of his career in Manhattan, where he scored his career-high 27 goals in the 2015-16 season.

He was also a playoff legend with the Ottawa Senators in their 2017 run in which they went to the Eastern Conference Finals, scoring some clutch overtime and last minute goals.

Overall, the 6th overall pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2006, Brassard played over 1,000 NHL games and recorded 545 points on 215 goals and 330 assists, averaging 15:42 time on ice per night throughout his career.