Jake DeBrusk's time with the Bruins is going to end at some point, but it may not be any time soon.
It's been more than two weeks since news of the 25-year-old left wing's trade request went public. While more than a dozen teams have reportedly shown at least some level of interest, we have heard little in terms of any serious progress being made towards an actual deal.
The trade was already complicated enough for a variety of reasons. While the Bruins are willing to accommodate DeBrusk's requests, they don't want to weaken their roster and would prefer to get someone who can help them this season in return. And, as Fluto Shinzawa wrote for The Athletic last week, other teams are wary of DeBrusk's contract and what it might cost to keep him beyond this season.
Now add in rising COVID-19 cases across the NHL, including six Bruins players and a staff member. If the Bruins needed to hang onto DeBrusk for those first few games after his request went public -- when Brad Marchand was suspended and Anton Blidh was injured -- then they certainly need him now.
That's not to say DeBrusk is indispensable or even playing well. It's just a simple statement of fact: The Bruins need all the healthy bodies they can find right now. With three of their top six forwards and five forwards overall now in COVID protocol, players with any offensive skill at all are particularly needed.
Even when those players return -- whenever that is -- this whole league-wide situation over the last week or so has been a wakeup call that depth is probably going to be tested just as much this year as it was last season. Trading away any of it is not something any team is going to be in a hurry to do right now.
Appearing on the latest episode of The Skate Podcast, Shinzawa said he doesn't see a DeBrusk trade happening any time in the immediate future.
"Yeah, I don't think Jake's request is going anywhere," Shinzawa said. "I would say especially because it's not just the Bruins in isolation here that are dealing with players being put in protocols. It's pockets around the league that are only going to grow. So I don't see any GMs being willing to part with healthy players at this point. I think all trade action around the league is going to be very quiet, unless it's player for player, and forward for forward in the Bruins' case."
Shinzawa went on to note that if a trade's going to get done, DeBrusk is going to have to pick up his play so someone will be interested enough to pull the trigger. Otherwise, interest could remain tepid and the waiting game could continue.
"It's going to be on Jake to perform and suck it up in terms of staying with the team, and up to him to be a better player," Shinzawa said. "Didn't really see that much the other night, so he needs more, he needs to bring it. Then perhaps that will help accelerate the trade talk, because then he can be productive and other teams can say, 'OK, that's a player we would like.' But yeah, it's a very layered situation because of the contract, the pedigree of the player being a former first-round pick, and the Bruins' cap situation. So I think there are a whole lot of speed bumps on the road, and I would be surprised if we see any action on the trade front there with Jake."
Listen to the full 30-minute conversation with Shinzawa (which was recorded before three more Bruins were added to the COVID list on Thursday) below:
