Jake DeBrusk Makes Most Of Return To Boston

Jake DeBrusk is an enigma.

The highly-talented forward created some impressive moments during his seven seasons with the Boston Bruins, but he never reached his full potential. He’ll always be connected as one reason why the Bruins fired coach Bruce Cassidy, but DeBrusk could have given much more to the organization that drafted him in the first round (No. 14 overall) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

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DeBrusk, 28, signed a seven-year deal worth $38.5 million in July with the Vancouver Canucks when it was obvious his working relationship with the Bruins ran its course. He’s a good guy. He’s a solid player. When he was at the rink, he worked hard to improve his game. He was a well-liked teammate in Boston, both on and off the ice. In fact, the Bruins are missing his presence this season.

So, it was only fitting that DeBrusk scored to help guide the Canucks to a 2-0 victory over the Bruins in his return to Boston Tuesday night at TD Garden.

However, in Boston, he wasn’t the type of player who accepted playing any role, anywhere in the lineup. A left winger by trade, the Bruins needed, and asked DeBrusk to play the right side time and again, but he didn’t want to on a regular basis. Cassidy wanted him to play the right side with Patrice Bergeron in the middle and Brad Marchand on the left. At times, DeBrusk had no choice and played well in that role with two of the best playmakers in the league. If he bought in, that trio could’ve been a potent offensive threat.

Obviously, the line of Marchand, Bergeron and David Pastrnak could be considered one of the best in Bruins history, but Pastrnak and Krejci also made a dangerous duo. Even when the Bruins acquired MVP forward Taylor Hall at the trade deadline in 2021, DeBrusk would have been a solid fit on the right side with Krejci and Hall on a consistent basis.

DeBrusk simply did not want to play the right side.

In fact, he requested a trade the day after the Bruins signed Hall to a four-year deal worth $6 million per season in July 2021. General manager Don Sweeney made it known to other GMs he would entertain a trade for DeBrusk, but the Bruins weren’t going to just give him away because of his talent. DeBrusk’s summer trade request became public after Cassidy benched the then-24-year-old forward for lack of effort during a game in November.

The situation was contentious. A trade never happened and ultimately Cassidy was relieved of his duties after the 2021-22 season. The trade request was rescinded, and under new coach Jim Montgomery, DeBrusk produced a career season with 27 goals and 20 assists for 50 points, including a plus-26 rating. DeBrusk was able to play more of a freestyle game and wasn’t relied upon for his defensive game.

DeBrusk was considered one of the best young players in the organization entering the 2017-18 season. The Bruins relied on several young players that season in hopes of them gaining valuable experience. It worked and DeBrusk produced 16 goals and 27 assists for 43 points in 70 games. He was even better the following season and recorded 27 goals and 15 assists for 42 points in 68 games. Boston came agonizingly close to winning the Stanley Cup that season but lost in Game 7 to the St. Louis Blues.

Management and the coaching staff believed they needed more from the younger players, so Cassidy pushed that core, and some responded well. DeBrusk did not and working relationships were severed.

The knock on DeBrusk during his tenure in Boston was he didn’t put in the necessary work off the ice to match his talent on the ice. As a result, he never reached his full potential. He had issues handling the rigors of an 82-game season, which was always a challenge for him. He could have been a perennial 40-goal scorer, but he’ll always be an average 20-goal producer.

DeBrusk could have been much more in Boston.

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