Like everybody else, NHL players have tried to find different ways to amuse themselves during this pandemic-prompted pause in their lives.
Derick Brassard took on something new and exciting. He worked at becoming the next Wayne Gretzky.
On Wednesday, it was confirmed that he had succeeded.
The New York Islanders centre is now officially part-owner of the Gatineau Olympiques, a QMJHL team he grew up watching in his home town of Hull, and also one that — from 1985 until Brassard’s fifth birthday in 1992 — was owned by The Great One.
The 32-year old “Big Game Brass” hasn’t become the big boss, at least not yet. He is a five percent shareholder, while local businessmen Michel Quesnel and Yan Hebert grabbed the other five percent that was available. But Brassard is certainly getting a feel for the owner’s hat.
From his apartment in Long Island for much of the past couple of months, he worked with other shareholders and the team’s new management to get brought up to speed with the league. He was also an active participant in the interview process that resulted in the hiring of Louis Robitaille as the Olympiques’ new head coach and GM last month.
“The Olympiques had an influence on my career in hockey,” Brassard told Le Droit ‘s Sylvain St-Laurent. “I remember my father often took me to see the team. I don’t exactly remember the years, but I do know I spent a lot of Fridays and Saturdays at the Guertin (Arena). I grew up admiring several players. I can say that they influenced me in my career choice.”
After playing Triple-A midget for the Gatineau Intrepid, Brassard spent four years with the Drummondville Voltigeurs. From there is more of what goes around, comes around.
In his last season with the Voltigeurs, he was coached by Guy Boucher, who a full decade later would become his coach with the Ottawa Senators. Boucher’s assistant that year in Drummondville was Martin Raymond, who was also his assistant in Ottawa.
Raymond is now Robitaille’s assistant GM.
“I had a great time in Drummondville,” said Brassard, a former first-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets who had his junior jersey retired by the Volts. “I’ve always been a hockey fan. I like to watch NHL games to try to improve myself as a player, and I like to watch matches at other levels to analyze the performance of all players.
“With the Olympiques, we are well aware that we are not in the NHL. We are still going to treat players the best we can. Louis has a good plan in mind.”
Now in his 13th NHL season, Brassard had 10 goals and 32 points on an Islanders team that will face the Florida Panthers in the play-in round for a playoff spot. He becomes a UFA at the end of the season and still feels like he has a lot of hockey left in him.
But it also sounds like he has at least part of his post-career plans mapped out.
The Olympiques’ new ownership regime wants to “bring back the glory days” for fans. That would be the Gretzky era, which started with two league championships in the first three years.
With the first, second and fourth overall picks in the June 5 draft, this group has a chance to have early success as well.
Odds are even better if Robitaille can be anywhere near the GM as was Gretzky’s right hand man, Charlie Henry.
TOP OF THE ORDER
Jack Quinn of the 67’s was the league’s second-highest goal scorer (52), eighth in the points race (89) and had the seventh best plus-minus (plus-48) but on Wednesday he was not included on any of the OHL’s three all-star teams. Something doesn’t add up there … While he brought in many future NHLers during his 25-year run with the Olympiques, Henry knew a good coach when he saw one. His list of bench bosses included Pat Burns, Claude Julien and Alain Vigneault, all three of whom won the Jack Adams Award in the NHL. Burns and Julien have also hoisted the Stanley Cup, while Vigneault’s time will come … Quinton Byfield must have saved his best work for other OHL rinks. Against 67’s defenceman Kevin Bahl, he was mostly invisible …
CONNECTING THE DOTS
The wife of a goalie needs to have a good sense of humour. Marlee Hammond checks that box. On Twitter, she complained that even with all sorts of time on his hands, Andrew (aka Hamburglar) didn’t get anything for her “half bday. Not a balloon, nothing. Just a tee time and I wasn’t invited.” … “Imperfect: The Roy Halladay Story” is expected to be a moving hour of must-see TV (Friday at 7 p.m.) “I don’t want his end story to be: Roy Halladay’s a drug addict who crashed his plane,” Brandy Halladay told ESPN of her husband, the most dominant pitcher of his era, who was hooked on painkillers and troubled by mental health issues before his tragic demise Nov. 7, 2017 … If Senators ownership changed, might the new group just want to move Andre Tourigny and James Boyd down the road to become its new coach and GM? …
FINISHING TOUCHES
Great idea by Phil Mickelson, who wants to make “The Match” a regular event. One week he and Tiger Woods might take on some younger pros, another would feature celebrities. “I think you could showcase guys like Steph Curry and Michael Jordan or Tony Romo and Patrick Mahomes, who are all good golfers, elite talents and have great personalities,” Michelson told the Los Angeles Times . “Or you could have someone who loves the game and is competitive but is really entertaining like Larry David and Bill Murray. I think that could shine.” Mic ’em up and let’s go … Alex Ovechkin and his wife Anastasia found something to do Wednesday, welcoming their second son into the world. Ilya is the baby brother to Sergei, as dad kept with the tradition of naming kids after his former Russian teammates … If the people who work at the liquor store are going to put arrows on the floor, can they also remember to make sure all the aisles aren’t one-way? A guy could spend his afternoon trying to figure how to get out … Canada Sports Hall of Fame announced its 2020 inductees on Wednesday: Steve Nash (basketball), Sheldon Kennedy (hockey), Willie O’Ree (hockey), John Barrett (power lifter), Sonja Gaudet (wheelchair curling), Lorie Kane (golf), Eric Lamaze and Hickstead (equestrian), Duncan Campbell (wheelchair rugby builder), Judy Kent (Commonwealth Games builder), Ross Powless (Mohawk Lacrosse builder). Anyone with a suggestion on who is being overlooked, send it this way …
Twitter: @SunDoniB
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