WASHINGTON — This probably isn’t the role Derick Brassard — or the Penguins, really — envisioned when the team swung a major pre-deadline trade to acquire him in late February.
Brassard was supposed to be an overqualified third-line center, an even better version of Nick Bonino.
Instead, as the playoffs have progressed, Brassard has found himself as more of the fourth-line center, with Riley Sheahan seemingly passing him on the depth chart. In Game 4 against Washington Thursday, Brassard saw 9:29 of even-strength ice time, the second-lowest of any Penguins player.
Brassard isn’t sweating the lack of playing time, though.