It came as a surprise to many, including his teammates, that Jake DeBrusk was ready to play in Monday’s game against the Florida Panthers.
His return had been in question after he suffered an injury in the second period of the season.
He missed the team’s second game against the Arizona Coyotes, but in his first full game of the season on Monday, DeBrusk made a statement about what his play could consist of this year.
The Bruins' offense is surging
DeBrusk, who turned 26 on Monday, bookended the Bruins’ scoring, getting Boston on the board 21 seconds into the game, and sealing the team’s 5-3 win with an empty-net goal with 63 seconds left.
Throughout the night, DeBrusk used his speed to create opportunities for himself and his teammates, including blowing by both of the Panthers' top-pair defensemen -- Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling -- to set up a goal for linemate Patrice Bergeron.
After the game, Bruins’ head coach Jim Montgomery said he had known of DeBrusk’s speed prior to coaching the Bruins, but, “I was shocked at how smart a player he is and his ability to make plays.”
“I knew he could score goals. I knew he could skate. I didn't know he could make as many plays as he does. I think his all-around game is continuing to develop. He was hard on pucks. He was hard on coming back to our end. His penalty kill, really he’s one of our best penalty killers,” Montgomery said about all that DeBrusk has brought to the team since Montgomery took over for the 2022-23 season.
For DeBrusk, getting off to a good start under his new coach was important, and he has done just that.
“His hockey sense, how he sees the ice, is well above the average hockey player in the NHL -- something well above that I didn't know he possessed,” Montgomery said. “I thought he was a speed, scoring winger. He’s much more than that.”
DeBrusk described the difference between now and when he was struggling midway through last season.
“I think the biggest thing for myself is confidence,” DeBrusk said. “Obviously new messages and new focuses, I think every player tries no matter what coach is there. I obviously like what he [Montgomery] is saying and it’s been working for these three games and it's one of those things that you want to buy into and obviously make good first impressions and from there just build relationships.”
After DeBrusk was injured in the second period on opening night, he missed Saturday’s home-opener at the Garden while dealing with an upper-body injury that was projected to keep him out for over a week.
However, DeBrusk progressed more rapidly than expected, with Mongomery finding out DeBrusk felt good enough to try to play Monday night as the team concluded morning skate.
“They were saying he was feeling good,” Montgomery said. “He had no soreness after skating and shooting a lot of pucks this morning, so we were pretty optimistic.”
“I didn't know if I was going to be playing Tuesday or Thursday and then I felt good this morning,” DeBrusk said.
“I was thinking possibly tomorrow and then I got asked, ‘Why not tonight?’” he said. “I just made a decision like, ‘Yeah, why not, let’s go.’”
DeBrusk said that even his teammates didn’t realize his recovery had progressed enough for him to play.
“I got the green light so that’s why I was here. I surprised pretty much all the boys. I told them good luck tonight,” he said.
With as many injuries as the Bruins are dealing with, it’s all the more important for DeBrusk to keep up the pace offensively.
“With big guys out, we just need everybody's hands on deck and I just want to be part of that,” DeBrusk said, referring to the absences of Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk from the Bruins’ lineup.
With DeBrusk off to a great start, now it becomes a question of consistency.
“It’s time to put it all together. It’s one thing to do it for one game, but what do we have? 79 left?” DeBrusk said.
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