Last November, Jake DeBrusk was getting booed at TD Garden after his trade request went public. On Monday, he had a sold-out Fenway Park hailing him as the hero of the Winter Classic after scoring both goals in the Bruins’ 2-1 win over the Penguins.
To say it’s been a remarkable turnaround would be too simplistic. Some of the explanations for it have also been too simplistic.
The conversation around DeBrusk naturally starts with coaching. He and Bruce Cassidy didn’t see eye-to-eye. Then the Bruins fired Cassidy, DeBrusk rescinded his trade request, Jim Montgomery has brought a more positive approach, and now DeBrusk is thriving.
The coaching change has absolutely helped, but it is not the only reason DeBrusk has turned things around. A lot of the work that was required was work that only he could do.
DeBrusk has improved his defensive-zone play. He has been more consistent and more aggressive on the forecheck. He has used his speed to attack defenders more. He has gotten to the dirty areas around the net more frequently. He has developed into a regular and reliable penalty-killer. Most importantly, he has brought the necessary effort pretty much every game and every shift and no longer slips into the prolonged lulls that hurt his game -- and playing time -- in recent years.
His teammates have seen the work he’s put in, and they now see it paying off.
“It’s been great. It’s been special,” Patrice Bergeron said of DeBrusk’s growth over the last year. “He’s a great guy that wants to get better. I think it’s been rocky at times the last few years, but that being said, he’s stuck with it and he’s shown some character. We all believe in him. He took it upon himself to work on things and areas he had to work on, and he keeps getting better and keeps doing that. So, happy to have him on our side.”
That work didn’t begin when the coach changed. DeBrusk started turning things around the second half of last season -- yes, with Cassidy still coaching him. That’s how he earned a promotion to the first line and finished the season with 18 goals and 27 points over the final 34 games.
He’s been even better so far this season. With the two goals on Monday, DeBrusk is now up to 16 goals and 30 points in 36 games. He’s on pace for 35 goals and 66 points, both of which would blow his previous career highs of 27 and 43 out of the water.
That’s assuming DeBrusk doesn’t miss any time. He was wearing a walking boot after the Winter Classic, but there hasn’t been any update on his status as of Wednesday morning. DeBrusk took a Matt Grzelcyk shot off his foot right before scoring his first goal, and he also blocked a Penguins shot late in regulation as the Bruins closed out the win. He was, unsurprisingly, in good spirits after the game despite whatever injury he was dealing with.
“It’s been a whirlwind, to say the least,” DeBrusk said when asked about his journey from trade request to Winter Classic hero. “It’s obviously something that’s special for this entire group, and myself. This is Fenway Park, Winter Classic, something you dream of doing, scoring in the Winter Classic. … I just really feel blessed to be in this position.”
Perhaps in a nod to the pain he knew DeBrusk was in, Montgomery highlighted the winger’s toughness as one of the characteristics outsiders probably don’t appreciate enough.
“He’s a lot tougher than people think, and he’s more committed than people are aware,” Montgomery said. “And because of those things, his game is growing. He’s matured, and you can see it. He’s on pace to get over 30 goals. And it doesn’t matter where I use him, he seems to spark the people he plays with.”
On that last point, DeBrusk’s big third period actually came after Montgomery moved him off the first line, swapping him and David Pastrnak in an effort to spark the offense. It worked -- not because a reunited Perfection Line took over, but because the second line, now with DeBrusk on it, got going. A year or two ago, DeBrusk may not have handled a “demotion” so well. Now, it doesn’t matter.
“I think that I’ve learned a lot over probably the last year and a half or two years just to find what works in my game no matter who I’m playing with and what role I’m in,” DeBrusk said. “Honestly, I just want to help in any way I can. That’s just kind of what I think everybody in our lineup has. Wherever I get to play, I just want to contribute.”
He’s contributed a lot this season, and the Bruins are reaping the benefits. Nick Foligno may have summed it up perfectly Monday evening.
“Jake has just become a man on a mission this year.”
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