For months, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney was negotiating from a position of weakness in any Jake DeBrusk trade talks.
DeBrusk wasn’t having a particularly strong season, teams knew he wanted out, and they knew the Bruins weren’t going to want to keep him if at least one of those things didn’t change.
Well, things have changed. DeBrusk is suddenly one of the hottest players in the NHL. He recorded his first career hat trick in Monday night’s 7-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings and now has seven goals in his last five games. He added an assist on a strong transition through the neutral zone that helped set up an Erik Haula goal. And he continues to look like a good fit on Boston’s top line next to Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand (the Bruins have now outshot opponents 29-6 over the last three games with those three on the ice).
Two of DeBrusk’s goals came on shots Jonathan Quick probably should’ve stopped, but DeBrusk still did good things leading up to them. On the first, he used his speed in transition and then utilized his quick release to fire through a defenseman and create at least a partial screen. On the second, his strong forecheck forced a Drew Doughty turnover that led to more offensive-zone time. His third goal saw him go to the net and tip home a Patrice Bergeron shot.
With DeBrusk catching fire three weeks out from the trade deadline, Sweeney now finds himself in a position of strength. He may not quite hold all the cards, but he certainly holds a lot more than he did a couple weeks ago.
At one point, there were reports that Sweeney couldn’t even get another change-of-scenery type of player -- someone having a down year who still has some potential -- from another team for DeBrusk. If anyone calls him with that kind of offer now, though, Sweeney’s response should be a polite, “Sorry, but the price has gone up.”
The Bruins aren’t going to trade DeBrusk for a depth player or a bounce-back candidate now, because DeBrusk isn’t playing like that kind of player anymore. He has already bounced back and is now playing like an impact top-six forward. Sweeney can now take the position that he will only be trading DeBrusk for a similar high-impact player or as part of a package for a clear upgrade.
Potential trading partners don’t really have the “Well, you have to trade him” card anymore either. A player requesting a trade doesn’t mean his team actually has to trade him. And the fact that the Bruins and DeBrusk have been able to keep things professional and make this work for the last three months provides some reason to think they might be able to stick it out through the end of the season.
There are, of course, some risks associated with waiting this out and not just pouncing on the best offer right now. DeBrusk could cool off between now and March 21 and see his value drop again. And if he really still wants out, the smiles and enthusiastic celebrations that have returned recently could disappear if he ends up stuck in Boston beyond the trade deadline. (Update: DeBrusk's agent confirmed on Tuesday that DeBrusk does still want to be traded.)
But this current setup is benefiting DeBrusk just as much as it’s helping the Bruins on the ice or Sweeney at the negotiating table. No matter where he ends up playing to close out this season, he’s going to have a new contract to play for. And what better way to set yourself up for a nice payday than to be on a line with Bergeron and Marchand and to continue to play the way DeBrusk has been playing?
Sweeney can and should continue to listen to offers for DeBrusk, and if he gets blown away by one, he shouldn’t be afraid to pull the trigger. But hanging onto DeBrusk also makes a lot of sense at this point. The Bruins were going to be in the market for an offensive upgrade anyway, and it’s possible they’ve now found one at no cost.
“We use Jake on the PK at times… because we trust that he has a good hockey IQ and good stick as well. It’s all there for him,” Cassidy said. “Ability to finish, sees the ice, foot speed to beat guys. When he’s on pucks forechecking, he’s very dangerous. 200-foot game. If he can consistently be strong on pucks on the walls … That’s a pretty valuable player that can play in all situations.”
It sure is. And the good news for Sweeney and the Bruins is that they're now in a position to benefit from that value whether they keep DeBrusk or trade him.
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