Jake DeBrusk has become a significant piece of the Boston Bruins team since the Bruins selected him 14th overall in the 2015 NHL Draft.
During his first full NHL season, DeBrusk collected 43 points. Later, he came up huge for Boston with six playoff goals in 12 games. His two tallies from Game 7 versus the Toronto Maple Leafs are unforgettable from his first-ever Game 7 experience.
Last year, the Edmonton native scored 27 goals and added 15 assists, adding another 11 points in his second postseason. Certainly his rookie stats were slightly better than his sophomore season. However, it was very narrow. Besides, DeBrusk had to overcome some injuries, including a concussion last season.
DeBrusk is now entering the third and final year of his entry-level contract. When it expires, DeBrusk will be due a pay raise. What would DeBrusk and the Bruins management think when considering the next DeBrusk contract? This summer, we have seen aplenty of young RFA forwards and their dramatic contract situations.
“Obviously that’s going to be my situation. Hopefully not as a holdout, but maybe, possibly next year just looking around the league you see different things with guys dragging it out,” DeBrusk said in an interview with the NBC Sports Boston.
“It’s one of those where you ask questions on the business side of it. Things change and different stuff happens with talks, but at the same time I mostly just try to stay out of it. I try to stay dialed in to get ready for training camp and the season. I guess when that time comes, though, I’ll be more aware of what to expect,” the Bruins 22-year-old forward said.
DeBrusk will celebrate his 23rd birthday in October. Is there any chance he will see a similar situation to the one of Clayton Keller or Josh Morrissey, who have signed the long-term contract extensions ahead of their final years?
NBC Sports suggests that the six-year deal Travis Konecny from the Philadelphia Flyers just signed could be DeBrusk’s comparable deal. Konecny’s AAV is at $5.5 million per season. However, the Bruins have some bridge-deal history, just look at Charlie McAvoy or Brandon Carlo. Perhaps it’s way too early to think the Bruins will get Debrusk’s new deal done sooner rather than later.
