Yahoo Sports 
Red Deer Rebels’ Jake DeBrusk aims to end junior career on high note
Boston Bruins first-round pick Jake DeBrusk had a whirlwind of a day on Dec. 27 when he found the Swift Current Broncos traded him to the Red Deer Rebels. It wasn’t easy for him to put Swift Current in the rearview mirror, but he knew he was headed for greener pastures in Red Deer, the hosts of the 2016 Memorial Cup.
“I had mixed emotions that day,” says DeBrusk. “I had a lot of good memories in Swift and that’s the only team I played for in the WHL. It was tough to say goodbye, but I was super excited and honoured to get the chance to play for Red Deer. I knew some guys on this team and know they are a great organization and it will be a great opportunity to play in the Memorial Cup.”
The 6-foot, 181-pound winger didn’t have to wait long to return to Swift Current following the trade. The Broncos hosted the Rebels on Jan. 16 in his 11th game with Brent Sutter’s crew.
“It was a really weird experience,” says DeBrusk, who has notched 14 goals and 39 points in 36 games this year. “Not being on the same side as them was different. They also did a tribute for me and it was a really classy move by them. But once the game started going, you just treat it like any other game.”
DeBrusk’s opportunity in Red Deer will give him a great shot at getting past the first round in the playoffs for the first time in his junior career. The Broncos were knocked out of the quarterfinals in both of his two seasons in Swift Current. It especially went south last year when the Regina Pats swept them in four straight.
“I’ve never been past the first round of the playoffs in my life, so this is a great opportunity for me here,” he says. “The way we lost last year to Regina was disappointing and everything seemed to go wrong. I never want to go through that again and I want to end it (junior career) off on a high note.”
An added bonus to the change of scenery for the Edmonton, Alta., native is that it sent him back to his home province.
“It’s nice being back in Alberta,” says DeBrusk. “My family gets to come to my games and they come down a lot to watch me play. It’s also cold here, but not as cold and windy as Swift Current, so that’s also a benefit.”
DeBrusk, 19, is poised to move on from the WHL this upcoming offseason, as he’s AHL eligible next year because of his late 1996 birthdate. He knows there’s some pressure on his shoulders to show the Bruins organization that he’s ready for pro hockey, but he’s tried to block it out in order to focus on helping his team win.
“There’s always pressure to prove yourself,” he says. “I try to block that stuff out like I tried last year with the draft, and just focus on helping my team and playing my game. You can think about stuff like being the first WHL forward taken in last year’s draft and let it affect you, but I try to block it all out. I know the Bruins have expectations for me, but thinking about it or focusing on it won’t help. I just need to continue to work hard and focus on the team.”
As the 14th overall pick of the 2015 NHL draft, DeBrusk finds himself in a much different situation than he was in four years ago as a WHL prospect. He went into the 2011 bantam draft thinking no one would take a chance on him because of his smaller stature.
“I don’t think anyone was happier than me on bantam draft day,” says DeBrusk, whom Swift Current drafted in the seventh round. “I didn’t think I would get drafted because I was only like 5-feet tall. I was about the same height as (Moose Jaw Warriors star) Brayden Point then.”
DeBrusk credits believing in himself as the biggest reason for why he’s overcame great odds in his young hockey career.
“The key is believing in yourself,” he says. “You need to work hard and believe in yourself. That’s what I’ve done and I’ve had a lot of people help me along the way.”
Kelly Friesen is a Buzzing the Net columnist for Yahoo! Sports. Follow him on Twitter @KellyFriesen
