The 31-year-old center is day to day with a lower-body injury, coach Mike Sullivan said; the Penguins are 2-6-1 in the nine games Brassard has missed, including 1-6-1 in their past eight.
"If you're winning, I think it makes it a lot easier for when you're out," Brassard said. "You just want to be out there and try to help out. ... Guys battle hard and I think we're really close. We probably had like two bad games in that bad stretch. I think a little bit of adversity for this team, it's not going to be bad."
Brassard practiced Friday for the first time since sustaining the injury against the Calgary Flames on Oct. 25, when he had three assists in a 9-1 win. He skated on his own before changing into a full-contact jersey and joining his teammates when they took the ice.
"I have to start from scratch and go out there with an open mind," Brassard said. "Just try to play free and have fun."
The Penguins (7-7-3), who are in last place in the Eastern Conference, are also without center Sidney Crosby, who missed a 4-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning because of an upper-body injury Thursday. He is second on the Penguins with eight goals and third with 19 points in 16 games.
Crosby, who skated on his own Friday, is day to day, but Sullivan said he expects him to be sidelined for a week.
With Crosby injured and center Evgeni Malkin on a six-game goal drought, Sullivan said he would be glad to have Brassard back.
"He's a good player. He's a real good player," Sullivan said. "He's certainly a guy that's going to make our team better when he's in our lineup. So the fact that he's as close as he is, is encouraging for us."
Brassard has five points (one goal, four assists) in eight games this season after having eight (three goals, five assists) in 14 games with the Penguins last season. He was acquired in a three-team trade with the Senators and Vegas Golden Knights on Feb. 23.
After starting the season as the third-line center, Brassard was used at wing on the first line with Crosby at center.
Brassard participated in line rushes Friday and skated on the second power-play unit. The lines rotated, making it difficult to determine where he could slot in upon his return.
"I think the toughest part is to watch and feel you can't really help out," Brassard said. "We'll see how I feel in the next couple days and hopefully, I can try to come and help the team win a hockey game."
