Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said at the end of last season that he was hoping to sit down with left wing Jake DeBrusk at some point to find some “common ground” that could help both move forward after a rocky season.
Cassidy and DeBrusk did eventually have that conversation after the emotions of the season settled down, and Cassidy shared some of the details of their talk on Wednesday.
“We did. He stayed in the Boston area for a while, and then went back to Edmonton. We had a good talk about what some of the things were that didn’t allow him to be at the top of his game away from the rink,” Cassidy said. “Some people, the COVID protocols affected them differently with what they can and can’t do. I think Jake was one of those guys that being by himself was a little tougher on him.
“So we discussed some of those things and how we could help as a staff. It probably fell on both of us to reach out a little more. I think in today’s game, with today’s athlete, there has to be a little more of that. I think we both held ourselves accountable in that regard. Opening the lines of communication better, that may bleed into the on-ice performance.”
DeBrusk himself had said a couple times during last season that it was tough having so much alone time, so it’s not surprising to hear that was a topic that came up during their talk. This season should be better in that respect, as players will be allowed to go out more and do more with their teammates away from the rink as long as they’re fully vaccinated, which every Bruins player and staff member is.
On the ice, DeBrusk presents something of an X-factor for the Bruins. He is currently penciled in to be the third-line left wing alongside free-agent signings Erik Haula and Nick Foligno. The Bruins need a better third line than they had last season, and DeBrusk’s play could be what swings that unit in one direction or another.
If DeBrusk can’t improve on his five-goals-in-41-games performance from last season -- one that saw him healthy scratched multiple times -- then the third line may very well remain a big question mark. But if DeBrusk can take steps back towards the level that saw him score 27 goals in 2018-19 or even 19 goals in 2019-20, the third line could look a whole lot better.
In that respect, Cassidy said his message to DeBrusk in terms of his on-ice play remains the same.
“At the end of the day, the message is the same: How he can help the Bruins win. That’s what we ask of every player,” Cassidy said. “…Jake looks like he’s ready to go. It looks like he’ll have some new linemates. That may change, but for right now, with Haula being here and [David Krejci] gone … he’ll have to find some chemistry if it ends up being Haula in the middle.
“But at the end of the day, I think the message stays the same: Be the best version of yourself, and I think your ice time will take care of itself and you’ll complement anybody.”
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