Jake DeBrusk spent his first eight NHL seasons with the Boston Bruins, but his time with the team ended when he signed a seven-year, $38.5 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks on July 1, marking the start of free agency.
Although DeBrusk will no longer wear the iconic Black and Gold Spoked-B, he intends to apply the lessons he learned during his time with the Bruins to his new team. He specifically values the leadership and influence of former teammates such as Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, and Brad Marchand.
During an interview on “The Cam & Strick Podcast,” DeBrusk reflected on the impact of these veteran players: “I think spending so much time with those guys and even different guys coming in like David Backes over the years was invaluable. The Bruins have had a lot of seasoned players throughout my career, and I’ve tried to learn from each of them.”
He emphasized that while he won’t change his core identity, he aims to bring the foundational principles he learned in Boston to Vancouver. “I’m not going to change who I am. I think there are things you can adjust, but what I’m bringing to the Canucks is the foundation I’ve built over eight years.”
DeBrusk acknowledged that being surrounded by motivated and goal-driven individuals in Boston has shaped his routine and mindset. He hopes to impart these qualities to a young Vancouver team.
“I’ve had the experience, so I hope I can bring as much of that as possible,” he said. “I’m not claiming to be Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, or Zdeno Chara, but the values they instilled and emphasized daily have helped me become a better professional and person.”
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