Bruins rival reportedly interested in signing Jake DeBrusk
Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk doesn’t seem likely to re-sign, but he may not end up going far.
As part of a column detailing the coming off-season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Nick Kypreos reported in the Toronto Star that the Leafs “may have interest” in DeBrusk in free agency. Toronto-based reporter Nick Alberga Furthermore, I heard over the weekend that there’s actually mutual interest between the Leafs & Jake DeBrusk. https://t.co/HU2dqZetgD
DeBrusk, 27, is on track to hit the open market right in the prime of his career. He’s coming off a season in which he scored 19 goals in 80 games for the Bruins, and scored 27 and 25 in the previous two. He’s averaged 24 goals per 82 games over the first seven seasons of his NHL career.
It’s worth noting that DeBrusk has historically played well against the Maple Leafs, especially in the playoffs. Most recently, DeBrusk scored three goals and five points in the first round of the 2024 playoffs in a seven-game series win over Toronto.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 17: Jake DeBrusk #74 of the Boston Bruins skates against the Florida Panthers during the second period in Game Six of the Second Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden.. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images)
DeBrusk’s production over the past season was slowed by a broken hand suffered before the bye week. He revealed the injury after the Bruins’ season ended, noting that it was fully healed just before the start of the playoffs.
The winger admitted during his season-ending press conference that he had struggled with the thought that his time with the Bruins was coming to an end.
“I hate it, to be honest. It sucks,” DeBrusk said. But in saying that, I think that I still have hope that it’ll all work out. And that’s what I want, obviously. But, yeah, if this is my last time in the building, I think I’ll probably decompress that more when I guess that’s finalized on their side. But it’s hard, I guess, when you don’t have a deal up to this point to not think like that.”
If Don Sweeney’s season-ending media availability was any indication, the Bruins may have already made their best effort to retain DeBrusk, and are ostensibly moving on without a deal.
“Negotiation is a two-way street,” Sweeney said. “We took an aggressive position with Jake. No different than other players that have chosen not to re-sign and explore, that’s within his right, certainly at this time of the year. Do I see a path [to re-signing DeBrusk]? Yeah, there’s a path, I told him that at our exit meetings.”
At this point, DeBrusk would be wise to see what kind of offers are out there for him in free agency, either way. The salary cap took a notable jump before this off-season, and so he should be line for a nice raise over what he’s earned in recent years with the Bruins. There should be enough interest that he doesn’t need to settle for a “hometown discount” with the B’s.
The Leafs are just one team reported to have interest in DeBrusk. It would be surprising if they were the only one.
Read more about the Bruins’ internal free agents below.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.