DeBrusk has nine goals, five assists, and 14 points in 21 games against the Leafs in his postseason career.
When the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs rolled around, it seems the Boston Bruins were eager to play the Toronto Maple Leafs.
On Tuesday, 14-year enforcer and former Bruins forward Patrick Maroon was a guest on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast with Ryan Whitney, Paul Bissonnette, and Keith Yandle. During the interview, Maroon recalled the mood among members of the Bruins in the locker room as the regular season came to a close and the playoff picture began to come into the fold.
“All those guys were like, ‘We want Toronto, they never beat us.’ Everyone was so confident in that room,” said Maroon.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsQhYFH14j8[/embed]
It marked the third meeting in the first round of the postseason since 2018 and the fourth in just over a decade, with Boston winning every series in seven games on home ice. For now-former Bruin Jake DeBrusk, who entered the league in 2017, he had beaten the Maple Leafs in the previous two matchups in ‘18 and ‘19.
The 28-year-old has had success against Toronto, scoring nine goals, five assists, and 14 points in 21 games against the Leafs in his postseason career. Set for round three of the matchup, he didn’t mince any words regarding his confidence level according to Maroon.
“Jake DeBrusk, he was like, ‘I own Toronto, I own Toronto.’ And he was out of the gates. He came out hot, too. He was scoring, and I was like, ‘This is great.’”
However, the 2024 postseason was injury-riddled for the Maple Leafs who were without key superstars William Nylander and Auston Matthews for parts of the series. Nylander missed the first three contests due to severe migraines while Matthews missed Games 5 and 6 after an undisclosed injury and flu-like symptoms.
Given the circumstances, the Leafs trailed 3-1 in the series but managed to turn the pressure on the Bruins, winning two straight and evening the series 3-3 – forcing yet another Game 7 in Boston.
“There was a panic when we were up 3-1, they kind of played really good without Matthews there for a second,” Maroon explained. “They got to their structure, they got to their game. But (Jeremy) Swayman was nasty for us. He stole some games for us. But that Game 7 was epic.”
Despite the pressure caving in, Maroon, again, emphasized that the Boston locker room was confident they’d get the job done for the fourth consecutive time in Round 1 against Toronto in the last four meetings.
“We’re not losing this game. Like, Game 7, there is no way we’re losing. Everyone was just like, ‘F**k, we’re not losing,’” he added.
And they didn’t lose the game.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjbSJ1Y6U5E[/embed]
As for DeBrusk, the forward signed a seven-year, $38.5 million contract with the Canucks in the summer after seven years in Boston. He has got off to the races in his new threads, currently leading the Canucks in goals (17) and sitting sixth on the team in points (30) through 50 games played.
The Edmonton, Alberta, native has played the Leafs once since becoming a member of the Canucks, but he failed to register a point, still recording a plus-two rating in a 3-0 Vancouver victory on January 11 at Scotiabank Arena. The Leafs are set to play DeBrusk and the Canucks again on Saturday, this time in Vancouver.
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