Player of Week: DeBrusk Turns It Up For Playoffs
Bruins Wing Begins Postseason With A Bang
The Boston Bruins had a solid 2023-24 regular season, finishing with the second-best record in the Atlantic Division to earn home ice for their first-round playoff series with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Boston did that even though the Jake DeBrusk stats for the regular season weren’t quite up to par, as he finished with 40 points in 80 games.
But the postseason is a different animal and a new start for most teams and players, and DeBrusk showed he’s got something to contribute to the Bruins right from the start. In Game 1 of the team’s first-round series with the Maple Leafs on Saturday, DeBrusk had a pair of goals and an assist to lead Boston to a 5-1 victory.
That performance helped DeBrusk earn Player of the Week honors.
DeBrusk followed that up with an assist in Monday’s Game 2, which was won by Toronto to tie up the series at a win apiece. As the NHL schedule continues for the postseason, the Bruins will be looking for more from DeBrusk, and he seems ready to provide it.
Rough Regular Season For DeBrusk
In his seventh NHL season, DeBrusk played in the most games he ever has, appearing in 80 contests for the Bruins. Unfortunately, he wasn’t as productive as previous seasons, finishing with a total of 40 points (19 goals, 21 assists).
In 2021-22, DeBrusk played in 77 games and had 42 points (25-17). He followed that up with 50 points (27-23) in just 64 games in 2022-23. Predictably, more was expected of Jake DeBrusk stats this season, but he didn’t produce.
The bigger problem for the 27-year-old is that dip in his stats came in a contract year, which might help explain his struggles if he was feeling the pressure to perform for the future.
New Start For Postseason For DeBrusk
The playoffs gave DeBrusk a way to start over after a forgettable regular season, and he definitely took advantage in Game 1. DeBrusk’s three-point game was his first since March 19, 2023 and his first ever in the postseason in his seven NHL seasons.
The NHL lines favor the Bruins to come out on top in this series, but they will need more of that production from DeBrusk. He had an assist on Morgan Geekie’s power-play goal in Game 2, giving him as many playoff points in two games as he had in 13 games in 2019-20 and in seven games in 2021-22.
DeBrusk had four goals and two assists in seven postseason games last season, so he’s on pace to outdo that as well. His playoff high for points came in 2018-19, when he had 11 (4-7) in 24 games when Boston advanced to the Stanley Cup Final before falling to the St. Louis Blues in seven games.
If Boston is to live up to its NHL rankings in the regular season, it will need more from DeBrusk starting in Game 3 of this series.
Can Bruins Come Back To Take Series?
The Bruins will be underdogs on the road against the Maple Leafs in Wednesday’s Game 3. Can they turn the tables on Toronto and regain home-ice advantage?
Boston is currently tied for the eighth-best odds to win the Stanley Cup on DraftKings Sportsbooks with the Winnipeg Jets and Colorado Avalanche. Toronto is listed at +1800, so this series is expected to be a tight one. Boston will need contributions from everyone, including getting more production from DeBrusk.
Still, no matter what happens, DeBrusk has shown his potential for playoff production, helping him potentially get a new contract with the Bruins whenever their season ends.
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