Addition Of Jake DeBrusk Should Help Balance Out Canucks Top-Six
Jake DeBrusk signed a seven-year, $38.5 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks on July 1.
Vancouver took a big swing on July 1, signing Jake DeBrusk to a seven-year contract that carries an AAV of $5.5 Million. The 27-year-old has played his entire career with the Boston Bruins and was part of their 2019 team that went to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. A well-rounded winger, DeBrusk has scored 71 goals over the past three seasons and has become a stronger defensive player as his career has progressed.
According to GM Patrik Allvin, the plan is to play DeBrusk beside Elias Pettersson next season. The hope is that bringing in a player who has consistently surpassed the 20-goal mark can help Pettersson unlock his potential and become a league leader next season. Overall, DeBrusk's ability to finish and get shots off in high-danger areas should help Pettersson in the offensive zone, while his work in the defensive zone will help the Canucks become an even stronger team away from the puck.
Last season, DeBrusk was one of the best in the league at creating high-danger shots. According to NHL EDGE, Debrusk finished the season with 71-high danger shots, which ranked in the 90th percentile. For comparison, Ilya Mikheyev, who played the majority of the season beside Pettersson, finished with 52, while Nils Höglander had 59. Having a target that can set up in front of the net and consistently generate shots is very valuable and should provide Pettersson with more options when he has the puck on his stick in the offensive zone.
While most of the focus will be on DeBrusk's offensive contributions, his work in the defensive zone should help Vancouver next season. At five on five, DeBrusk was on the ice for 27.78 scoring chances against per 60 and 11.37 high-danger chances against per 60. DeBrusk has also added more physicality to his game, seeing his hit total increase from 85 in 2022-23 to 107 this past year.
Lastly, Despite being only 27, DeBrusk has a lot of playoff experience. As mentioned, he was on the Bruins 2019 team that went to the Stanley Cup Final and has played 86 postseason games so far in his career. Boston's leading point producer in the 2024 playoffs, DeBrusk's experience of playing in a passionate market during the postseason should help the Canucks next Spring.
While the deal does carry some risk, ultimately, it is a good bet by Vancouver's management group. If DeBrusk can generate 25-30 goals a year while also being a consistent partner for Pettersson, it will be a massive win for the franchise, which has struggled in the past during free agency. A 0.57-points-per-game player through the first 465 games of his career, the addition of DeBrusk helps bolster a Canucks top-six and should play a significant factor in Vancouver's search for a second straight Pacific Division title.
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