Crunch’s Brassard named Rookie of the Month

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Syracuse Crunch center Derick Brassard has been named the Rbk Edge/AHL Rookie of the Month for April. Brassard registered 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) and a plus-7 rating in seven games as the Crunch closed out the regular season on a 15-game winning streak.

Brassard tallied three assists to help Syracuse to a 4-1 win over Binghamton on Apr. 2, and set personal season bests with four assists and five points in the Crunch’s 10-3 triumph over Rochester on Apr. 6. He added a goal and an assist as Syracuse beat Lake Erie, 4-2, on Apr. 8, and closed out his rookie regular season with a goal and an assist in a 7-1 win vs. Hamilton on Apr. 13.

The 20-year-old Brassard was the sixth overall pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. He chalked up 15 goals and 36 assists for 51 points in just 42 games with the Crunch in 2007-08, while adding one goal and one assist in 17 NHL contests with Columbus. Brassard, who also won this award in October, spent four junior seasons with Drummondville (QMJHL) and earned first team league all-star honors in 2005-06.

Other nominees for Rbk Edge/AHL Rookie of the Month include Albany center Nicolas Blanchard, Chicago defenseman Arturs Kulda, Grand Rapids center Darren Helm, Hamilton goaltender Cedrick Desjardins, Hartford center Artem Anisimov, Houston left wing Colton Gillies, Lowell right wing Brad Mills, Manchester center Brady Murray, Manitoba goaltender Cory Schneider, Peoria center Nicholas Drazenovic, Philadelphia left wing Kyle Greentree, Providence center Zach Hamill, Quad City goaltender Matt Keetley, Rochester right wing Brady Calla, Rockford center Jake Dowell, San Antonio defenseman Sean Sullivan, Toronto left wing Jiri Tlusty, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton defenseman Alex Goligoski and Worcester forward Steven Zalewski.