The Boston Bruins’ centennial season is officially complete. While it did not net a Stanley Cup Championship and give the Bruins faithful another duckboat parade, the season was not a complete failure. The organization got to celebrate 100 years of Bruins hockey and even took a trip down memory lane. Several era nights took place at TD Garden, where fans got to relive the memories of different eras of Bruins hockey.
The Bruins also finished with another 100-point season and finished second in the Atlantic Division. Now that the season is over, we can reflect on how players performed and give them a grade. Today’s report card will rate winger Jake DeBrusk.
The Player DeBrusk Has Become
No Bruin is more intriguing than DeBrusk. He has provided fans with memories that will last a lifetime. He has always played the hero, most memorably scoring the game-winning goal in Game 7 of their first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2018 Playoffs. He also scored the game-winning goal during the 2023 Winter Classic. DeBrusk has grown and has become a key part of the team’s success.
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During the Bruins’ 2022-23 season, DeBrusk had a career year, finishing with 27 goals and 50 points. After wingers Taylor Hall and Tyler Bertuzzi moved on, the team needed more offense. With a lack of financial flexibility, the Bruins needed to rely on internal pieces to bring the scoring.
This season, it took nine games before DeBrusk recorded his first goal. After that, his game improved, but it came in streaks. A strong month of November turned into an 11-game goalless drought. Then he scored 14 points in 14 games between Dec. 27 and Jan. 22 but had a quiet February (with 2 points in 12 games). When DeBrusk is on his game, he is one of the best on the roster. But when he’s not, he’s cold. In 2023-24, he scored 19 goals and 40 points.
Playing with Patrice Bergeron all those years also paid off. While his offensive game struggled at times this season, he did the little things right. DeBrusk was always in position to make a key play and was responsible defensively. He finished 12th in expected goals against (41.33), and the Bruins had a goal differential of 40-31 when he was on the ice. Furthermore, he finished fourth in takeaways for the Bruins (36) and his two shorthanded goals were second on the team.
DeBrusk has emerged as a solid 200-foot player and can play in multiple situations. It is what makes him so valuable. He may not have had the same regular-season success as past seasons, but he was effective. He also played the second half of the season with a broken hand, which likely affected his production, and he had a solid postseason.
DeBrusk Had a Strong Postseason
DeBrusk delivers in the playoffs. In 86 postseason games, he has 27 goals and 47 points, which is over 0.5 points per game. During the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, DeBrusk was one of the best players on the team.
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Brad Marchand was the best of the Bruins (with eight points in the first four games), but DeBrusk was not far behind. He scored five points in the first three games of round one, including three power-play goals. The Maple Leafs held him in check the rest of the way, but he found success against the Florida Panthers in Round 2. He was a point-per-game player in that series, with two goals and six points in six games.
DeBrusk led the Bruins in points in the playoffs and had a good season overall. He is due for a new contract this summer.
DeBrusk Developed His Overall Game
DeBrusk may not score at a high clip like other top wingers in the league, but he is capable of scoring 20 goals and providing secondary offense. He had a slow start to the campaign and often found himself off the scoresheet, but what DeBrusk did do was improve his all-around game and was effective away from the puck. He also did well in the playoffs. He and the Bruins have not negotiated a new deal yet, so he could hit the open market this summer.
Grade: B+
