Bruins' Jake DeBrusk received death threats from Maple Leafs fans

Boston Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk was banged up when he took a Nazem Kadri cross-check to the face in Game 2 of the playoffs, but the real scars from that incident came after the fact.

Kadri was suspended for his actions, but DeBrusk had to deal with his share of the fallout as well. Appearing on a Boston radio show Thursday morning, DeBrusk revealed that he and his family received countless death threats from upset Toronto Maple Leafs fans.

“Mostly around Game 3. The fact [the Kadri incident] happened in Game 2 and we were going into Toronto for Game 3, I was getting death threats consistently,” DeBrusk said. “My family members told me they were getting death threats as well.”

DeBrusk deleted his social media accounts in an effort to tune out the threats, and he says support from his teammates really helped carry him through the difficult situation.

“I think the guys in the room here really took me in and helped me kind of get over that,” DeBrusk told reporters after Bruins practice Thursday. “You know we have some guys that have had some similar reactions over their times. They really helped me, and I think the best way to go about that is that we won the series and we don’t have to deal with [the Leafs] for at least another year.”

Kadri, who was also suspended during last year’s seven-game playoff series between the Leafs and Bruins, addressed the incident at Toronto’s season-ending media availability Thursday. The 28-year-old claims he was trying to stick up for teammate Patrick Marleau after DeBrusk threw a questionable hit of his own on the Leafs veteran. Kadri said he was attempting to jab DeBrusk on the arm, but connected with his face instead.

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