Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk sounds ready to hammer out extension
Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk has made it clear that he wants to remain with the Bruins beyond the 2023-24 season.
He said as much before he reported back to Boston for training camp, and has repeated some variation of those lines whenever the subject’s come up. But through 49 games, and with the NHL trade deadline just over a month away, DeBrusk remains a pending unrestricted free agent and without an extension in place.
And with DeBrusk back in Boston following a bye week getaway, DeBrusk was asked a simple question as to whether or not his contract situation is beginning to feel ‘real’ to him.
“I feel like it’s felt pretty real all year, to be honest,” DeBrusk admitted. “Ever since training camp, it’s one of those things where you want to get it done as fast as possible, but obviously we’re here now. When it comes to, I guess my thoughts on that, I don’t really have any that are fresh.
“It’s a month and a half until the trade deadline, and I hope [an extension] gets done quick.”
The fact that it’s been over half a season since both sides by all means admitted that they wanted to hammer something out and DeBrusk remains without a deal may be cause for concern.
But true to his nature, DeBrusk is choosing to remain the optimist when it comes to his future with the Bruins.
“I always have optimism,” the 27-year-old DeBrusk said. “I feel like it would be pretty depressing if I didn’t have optimism that I’d be here [in Boston]. But it’s one of those things that I hope it gets done.”
It’s been an up and down season for DeBrusk, at least from a scoring standpoint, with 12 goals and 25 points through 47 games played. But again, it’s been a year of high highs and low lows, with eight goals and 14 points in 16 games since coming out of the NHL’s Christmas break after posting four goals and 11 points in the 31 games that came before.
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If the Bruins view DeBrusk as someone who is part of their long-term plans, the club does have two recent contract comps. The first came way back before the start of the season, with the Bolts’ Brandon Hagel signed to an eight-year $52 million contract extension with Tampa Bay. Hagel’s contract comes with a $6.5 million cap hit that gets Hagel paid but also maintains Tampa’s long-term cap flexibility with their share of big-money deals already on the books. The second potential comparison for DeBrusk’s next deal, meanwhile, came just before the All-Star break, as Owen Tippett and the Flyers came to terms on an extension that will come with a $6.25 million cap hit for Tippett.
Of course, DeBrusk is older than both, and this could very well be his chance at the big payday in both years and dollars.
But there’s a definite comfort with Boston for DeBrusk and he’d be the first one to tell you as much.
“I’ve obviously been with this organization for my whole career, and I feel like I know where I stand with this lineup, I feel like I know where I am with the guys in this room and the city as well,” said DeBrusk.
Now, this isn’t completely unfamiliar territory for DeBrusk.
Back in 2022, and with a trade demand still on the table, DeBrusk found himself without an extension beyond that current season. And rather than trade him to another city, DeBrusk and the Bruins actually put the pen to paper on an extension on trade deadline day. From there, DeBrusk remained with the Bruins and formally rescinded his trade request a bit later. If the Bruins follow a similar timeline this time around, DeBrusk won’t be complaining.
But he’s also didn’t deny that questions about his future may make a little bit more ‘nervous’ should the deadline approach without an agreement in place.
