Jake DeBrusk is in the final season of his two-year, $8 million contract and is poised to be a free agent for the first time in his career.
– Jake DeBrusk remains firm in his intention to stay in Boston ahead of the NHL trade deadline on March 8.
The 27-year-old winger is in the final season of his two-year, $8 million contract and is poised to be a free agent for the first time in his career at the conclusion of the 2023-24 campaign.
DeBrusk, though, doesn’t want things to get that far.
“That’s kind of what I come from – I don’t even want to have that [free agency] option,” DeBrusk said Sunday following the Bruins’ practice.
“It’s one of those things that I hope it gets done. I have an agent for a reason. I’ve obviously been with this organization for my whole career, I feel like I know where I stand in this lineup, I feel like I know where I am with the guys in this room, and the city as well.”
The 2015 first-round draft pick has seen his role evolve over the past seven seasons, and this year specifically, it has expanded. Not only is DeBrusk playing with a contract extension on the line, but he – and others – have been tasked with holding up Boston’s offensive production after losing key veterans over the summer.
While DeBrusk got off to a slower start on the stat sheet – and instead strengthened the two-way, defensive part of his game – he now has five points in the last five games and 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists) through 47 total games.
“I think it’s one of those things where if I’m playing my game, I can kind of play anywhere and be productive. Just trying to keep building on that,” DeBrusk said.
DeBrusk getting traded before the deadline looks deeply unlikely for a Bruins team that wouldn’t get anything better than what it has in return – that is, immediately. With the second half of the season in full swing, the noise is no doubt getting louder for DeBrusk, but he’s tried to control only the things directly in front of him.
“You just go and you focus on the little things and I think everything should take care of itself,” DeBrusk said.
“I think I’m more so open probably to longer term [contract]. I think everyone wants to be a Bruin for as long as they can. I don’t know exactly – I don’t have a number that I’m exact on on either side honestly.”
The next stretch of the season will be all the more important for DeBrusk to prove to the Bruins brass that he’s worth a new, heftier deal.