NEWARK, N.J. — Jake DeBrusk is doing almost everything for the Boston Bruins.
The 27-year-old is averaging 13:40 of even-strength ice time per game, third-most among forwards after David Pastrnak (15:56) and Brad Marchand (14:02). Only Charlie Coyle (2:53) and Pavel Zacha (2:00) are getting more short-handed action per game than DeBrusk (1:58).
In Wednesday’s 2-1 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils, DeBrusk was the No. 1 left wing next to Morgan Geekie and David Pastrnak. DeBrusk recorded one shot. He worked the front of the net on the first power-play unit. He has played left and right wing on the top three lines.
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The only thing DeBrusk is not doing is scoring goals. This is not a minor shortcoming considering his pedigree.
Coach Jim Montgomery likes to say he does not necessarily need Coyle to be a primary scorer. He reasons that the workhorse center touches the game in every area.
DeBrusk is similar to Coyle in his all-situations impact. But the Bruins still need DeBrusk to score, as much for himself as for the team.
“I would say he is in that category. JD helps us all over the ice,” Montgomery said of DeBrusk, comparing him to Coyle. “But for an offensive player like JD, you need to feel good about your game. You need to be producing more than he’s producing for himself to feel the value. I value him no matter what. But we do need him to produce, right? Especially with the numbers we lost from last year.”
Last season, DeBrusk scored a career-high 27 times, second-most after Pastrnak. This season, he’s recorded just four goals. This places him 10th on the roster. He’s on pace to score 12 goals. He’s not satisfied.
“I know it’s going to come,” DeBrusk said of his scoring. “At the same time, it’s one of those things where I’m being used differently. I understand that. I’m just trying to work on that part of my game. There’s a bigger picture here in that sense. But it’s been frustrating. That’s for sure.”
DeBrusk has 58 shots, third-most on the team after Pastrnak (136) and Marchand (93). Only 6.9 percent of those sniffs have gone in.
Last year, his shooting percentage was 14.1 percent. His career average is 12.5 percent.
Shots haven’t been going in for Jake DeBrusk in 2023-24. (Kiyoshi Mio / USA Today)History says, then, his touch will regress and the goals will come. For that to happen, DeBrusk’s confidence cannot be shaken by his hands’ disappearance.
“When Jake’s at his best, he’s tenacious on pucks,” Montgomery said. “And his habits and details are really good. Like any offensive player, when he struggles, his habits and details wander. They tend to cheat toward offense. You don’t end up with the puck as much. That’s the way it goes for everybody.”
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All of this is happening as the clock ticks away on the final season of DeBrusk’s two-year, $8 million contract. It puts both DeBrusk and the Bruins in a position they probably didn’t anticipate: Attempting to identify exactly what the 27-year-old is on his next contract. Twenty-six games in (he was scratched against the Los Angeles Kings for being late to a team meeting), the outlook is anything but concise.
So as the sides consider what’s to come, we’ve recruited some assistance for insight on the three options:
Re-sign DeBrusk
The Bruins would be happy to extend DeBrusk. They do not have a multi-dimensional wing in their system who can assume all of DeBrusk’s responsibilities in 2024-25. The 2015 first-rounder, who pulled his trade request following ex-coach Bruce Cassidy’s dismissal, likes being a Bruin.
Last season, general manager Don Sweeney opened his wallet wide for Pastrnak, a pending unrestricted free agent. There is nothing close to an eight-year, $90 million extension waiting for DeBrusk.
Nino Niederreiter, 31, signed a three-year, $12 million contract with the Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 4. Niederreiter scored 24 goals last season between the Jets and Nashville Predators. As such, one agent, granted anonymity to assess a non-client’s options, estimated DeBrusk could expect a two- or three-year extension with the Bruins with an average annual value between $4.85 million and $5.25 million.
Another agent, granted similar anonymity, did not believe the Bruins would grant DeBrusk a raise above his current $4 million AAV. Consider that DeBrusk has the same number of goals as Danton Heinen, who is earning $775,000, just above minimum wage. Like DeBrusk, Heinen is playing the role of multi-position wing. Heinen is one year older.
If the Bruins’ offer is not to DeBrusk’s liking, he might want to test free agency.
Let DeBrusk walk
In one way, the Bruins would be weakened by allowing DeBrusk to leave for nothing. But like all teams, they have a ceiling, both in term and salary, for each player. They will not go over it.
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This was the case for Tyler Bertuzzi and Connor Clifton. The Bruins liked both of the UFAs-to-be. But Bertuzzi and Clifton found better deals with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres, respectively, last offseason.
If the Bruins let DeBrusk walk, they could apply his $4 million AAV elsewhere. They remain in the market for centers. If Elias Lindholm is available in free agency, the Bruins would have their hand up for his services.
DeBrusk would enter the market when more dollars are available. The 2024-25 salary cap is expected to be $87.7 million, a $4.2 million year-over-year increase. Other wings similar to DeBrusk on track for UFA status include Bertuzzi, Anthony Beauvillier, Anthony Duclair, Jake Guentzel, Victor Olofsson, Sam Reinhart and Teuvo Teravainen.
One hockey operations executive, who requested anonymity to speak about a player not under contract with his team, believed DeBrusk would score the same two-year, $8 million on the market that he currently has with the Bruins.
The second agent agreed.
“I think it’s going to be around $4 million,” he said. “On a good team, he’s a supplementary third-line guy.”
Last offseason, the Chicago Blackhawks signed ex-Bruin Ryan Donato (14 goals in 2022-23) to a two-year, $4 million contract. The Carolina Hurricanes locked up Michael Bunting (back-to-back 23-goal seasons with the Maple Leafs) to a three-year, $13.5 million deal. DeBrusk’s agreement could fall within that band.
However, if DeBrusk heats up and approaches his 27-goal 2022-23 output, the executive noted the wing could hold out for a five- or six-year contract at a higher AAV.
All of this could be preceded by a trade.
Trade DeBrusk
The Bruins are No. 1 in the Eastern Conference standings. They are on pace to make the playoffs for the eighth straight season. The airtight tandem of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark would give them a chance in every postseason game.
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Trading DeBrusk, then, is the unlikeliest outcome of the three options. Unless Sweeney can execute a hockey trade, he would be moving DeBrusk for futures. That would not improve the 2023-24 roster.
But suppose trading DeBrusk was the first in a series of transactions. The Calgary Flames are listening on Lindholm inquiries before the March 8 trade deadline. Unloading the remainder of DeBrusk’s AAV would help the Bruins clear most of the cap space needed to accommodate the center’s $4.85 million payday. Sweeney could flip the assets from DeBrusk to the Flames as part of a Lindholm package.
So what would the return be?
The executive estimated a second-round pick and a “B” prospect, a package he classified as “best best case” for the Bruins. That would not be enough for Lindholm, especially since the Bruins would want to acquire and extend the center.
But given the Bruins’ needs at the position, it would be a starting point for trade talks.
(Top photo of Jake DeBrusk and Hampus Lindholm: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
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