BOSTON – Jake DeBrusk has his sights set on a fresh future.
Following a strong second half in 2021-22, during which he rode alongside Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron On the Bruins’ top line, the winger is eager to build on the momentum that led to him securing his second-career 25-goal season.
And with a new two-year contract setting this season, DeBrusk is hopeful to be donning the Spoked-B for the foreseeable future.
“I think everybody wants to think long term when you play in a city like Boston,” said DeBrusk, who is entering his sixth NHL season, all with the Black & Gold. “I think that’s something that not many guys on this team have. It’s one of those things that you’ve got to earn that right and earn those privileges. I did sign for two more years; I was very excited to do that, obviously .
“It’s been a crazy year and a half for me, [I’m] taking it slow…playing for the Spoked-B is an honor. It’s one of those things that hopefully I get off to a good start and produce and just go from there, do anything I can to help the team win.”
DeBrusk inked the two-year extension (worth an annual cap hit of $4 million) on March 21 – the morning of the trade deadline – at a time when there was still speculation that the 25-year-old could be headed elsewhere as a trade. The request, made public last fall, remained on the table. But over the summer, DeBrusk’s agent announced that the trade request had been rescinded and he was happy to remain in Black & Gold.
“Obviously at the end of the year, I think I said I would talk to my family and kind of think things over,” DeBrusk said when asked what contributed to his change of heart. “Honestly, it was just the support I got from the guys in this room last year…there was a lot of stuff coming my way for obvious reasons. The guys in this room kind of kept it tight and as one.
“That’s one thing I’ve always loved about this team, I’ve always loved the boys and also the city and everything else. This is what I know, this is what I’m comfortable with. It wasn’t that hard of to make a decision.”
When queried further on if his decision to stay in Boston had anything to do with the Bruins’ coaching change, DeBrusk said that he respected the questions and has heard the speculation regarding his relationship with Bruce Cassidy but was opting to look forward and focus on adjusting. to the styles and systems put forth by new bench boss Jim Montgomery. DeBrusk added that he exchanged texts and spoke with Montgomery by phone over the summer but that the two had yet to meet in person.
“He sounds very eager and excited to put his staple on this team, just like we all are,” said DeBrusk. “This is the first time I’m going through [a coaching change]. I think that’s usually a good cliché…it’s a fresh start, there’s different systems, maybe, there’s different things – we’ll all find that out as we go along through this training camp. But I think that it definitely brings a new element to it.
“It’s gonna be different than any other camp I’ve been at here. It’s exciting and it makes you eager for training camp. You don’t know what drills are coming your way, if they’re gonna be [bag skates] or fun, you don’t know yet. It’s one of those things where you try not to think too, too much about it.
“But at the same time, I think it’s exciting. This time of year’s always exciting. It’s captains’ practices and everybody’s just excited to be back in the city and revved up for training camp and the work continues.”
Video: DeBrusk talks with the media on Tuesday at WIA
DeBrusk finished with 25 goals (two off his career high set in 2018-19) and 42 points (one off his career high set in 2017-18) last season, a surge in production following a difficult 2020-21 campaign (5 goals, 14 points in 41 games), during which he admitted to struggling with adapting to the stringent COVID-19 protocols that the NHL implemented in order to maneuver through the pandemic.
As the restrictions eased last season, DeBrusk also took advantage of his opportunity to be the B’s top-line right wing, a position he is looking to embrace once again in 2022-23.
“I think it just gave me confidence as a player to bounce back and find my game again,” said DeBrusk. “That was my goal at the beginning of the year and it wasn’t pretty at times, but we got there. Obviously playing in that position on that line, things were rolling.
“It’s something that gave me a lot of confidence going into the season, knowing that it’s there and that it’s not gone forever. IT makes you want it more and makes you want to do it consistently every night.”
A Friendly Face
Charlie Coyle had the scouting report on Pavel Zacha for quite some time. In addition to his on-ice battles with the winger, Coyle has trained alongside the Czech native in Foxborough for the last several summers. As such, the two have become friendly away from the rink, a rapport that Coyle hopes will translate onto the ice at some point this season.
“I wouldn’t be upset with that one bit. I guess we’ll see in time here how things work out,” Coyle said of the possibility that the two could play together. “[I] knew playing against him how skilled he was. He’s always been a good player. I feel like every time he played against us, he scored. So, it’s nice to have guys like that on your team and not working against you.
“But I got to know him a little bit in the gym over the summers. You could tell he’s just a very, very nice guy. Very calm, kind of quiet, but easy to get along with. He’ll fit in fine wherever he goes. But it’s nice that he’s here, he’s gonna fit in so well in this locker room. And he’s a heck of a talent too. And he works at it. You like to see that in players and you like those guys on your team with their good personality and how they are as people too.”
Video: Coyle meets the media after Captains Practice
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