Canucks Jake DeBrusk Reflects On His Career Ahead Of 600th Regular-Season Game

Thursday night will feature a special moment in Jake DeBrusk's career. When the puck drops at Rogers Arena, the 29-year-old will skate in his 600th career regular-season game. Over the first 599 games, DeBrusk has recorded 341 points while also playing in 86 playoff games. 

Hitting the 600-game mark is an impressive achievement for any player. The first 465 came with the Boston Bruins, while the remaining 134 so far featured DeBrusk in a Vancouver Canucks sweater. In an interview with The Hockey News, DeBrusk revealed that it was one of his younger teammates who reminded him that he was closing in on his 600th game. 

"I haven't thought about that in a while, but yeah, I know it's lots," said DeBrusk. "You can go through the years, obviously, but a lot of good memories, a couple heartbreaks in there at the same time. Yeah, 600 games, a lot of games. I didn't even know about that till last game. Actually, Junior (defenceman Elias Petersson) told me about it. But, you know, we don't play the game to play games. We play the game to win. The 600 and I think 80-something playoff games as well. You know, I played a lot of hockey."

After recording 81 points in 72 games with the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL, DeBrusk was selected by the Bruins 14th overall in 2015. He was a player who rose up the rankings as the season went on and entered the draft as the 19th-ranked North American Skater. When asked about any advice he would have given his 18-year-old self, DeBrusk spoke about how he probably wouldn't have believed that he would one day play 600 games at the NHL level. 

"I was pretty raw. Honestly, I don't even know. I think I'd probably say, get ready for 2019, because we went to the finals that year in game seven. That's probably what I would tell myself at 18. But if I told myself this at 18, my draft year, I don't think I would have believed you, to be honest with you. At the start of that year, I think I was ranked either in the fifth round or the sixth round. Was like a C or D prospect at the start of that year. So I would be shocked if I was able to say, Hey, this is what you've been doing in the future. I don't know if I change a whole lot. I think everyone would change certain things, but I don't know if I'll give myself a single piece of advice."

The 2015 class is considered one of the deepest drafts in recent memory as it included Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, Mikko Rantanen, Sebastian Aho, Kirill Kaprizov, Zach Werenski, Mathew Barzal and Brock Boeser. For Boston, though, it is seen as a missed opportunity as the organization had the 13th, 14th and 15th picks, yet only hit on DeBrusk. Even though DeBrusk turned into a successful player, he was used as a scapegoat to hide the fact that the Bruins' 2015 draft did not go as planned. 

"I got asked about it a lot when I was a Boston, and obviously, I was the only one that really played. And I took the brunt of those questions from my rookie year on. So first and as a player, I was just happy to get selected by a team. It didn't really matter to me. I just was happy that the team wanted me. And coming into a situation in Boston, obviously, it was a great setup for me, but, yeah, I got asked about that a lot my first couple of years. Felt like I was kind of getting blamed for it, and you know, pushed me to become a better pro. And that's why I'm here, sitting at 600 right now. I think that's easy to say from the outset. But yeah, I took a lot of that heat, that's for sure."

Shifting back to the present, DeBrusk has experienced plenty of memorable moments in his career. He has played for an original-six franchise and been to the Stanley Cup Final. Overall, DeBrusk has packed a lot into the last decade, which is why it is hard to pick a favourite memory from his career so far. 

"Yeah, probably my first playoffs. I think probably the first time playing in the post-season. You dreamed about as a kid. My rookie year, playing seven-game series, Winter Classics, first 20-goal season. Just little things. First goal is probably what I remember the most, how that felt. And, yeah, I would say probably those are the good memories, obviously, lots of different playoff goals. Usually, what I think about my career is my playoffs and just different little challenges that have come through that."

To wrap up the interview, DeBrusk was asked about any advice he has for the younger players on the team. Vancouver has one of the youngest rosters in the league, and is projected to get even younger as the organization enters a rebuild. For DeBrusk, he discussed the increased speed of the game and ensuring that, as a player, you don't lose confidence when the team is struggling. 

"The NHL changes, it's a faster league. It's more skilled. You need speed. If you don't have speed, you die. We just played against a pretty young team in San Jose. And what's everyone talking about, how fast they were. Look at Chicago, look at the best team in the league in Colorado. Why are they so good, speed? So I look at that, and I think that's just how the game is changing. But in terms of these younger guys, just getting to know them. Obviously, it's a tough go. We're really struggling. So just try to be there for them if they need anything. Confidence is the biggest thing in the NHL. It's not something that is given to you at this level. You have to earn it, and you have to kind of keep it and learn how to stay with it. And when you lose, when you get scored on, it's human not to have any confidence. So for me, I just kind of look around and see how guys are doing in those terms. When you're young, you're trying to fight, to stay the next day. You're trying to fight, no matter what the score is or what's going on. So they got a pretty good read. But you know, they know I'm there for them if they need, and I try to crack a couple of jokes."

DeBrusk has had an impressive career to this point. As mentioned, he is closing in on 350 points and is on pace for his second-straight 20-goal season. Overall, DeBrusk provides value to the organization not just on the ice, but off it as well. 

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