Player Discussion Jake DeBrusk

[LouJersey]

It's amazing how opinions on players can change after seeing them play instead of just reading stat sheets.

You made me a huge fan in like January/Feb of his draft year. You were all over it!

 

[Alberta_OReilly_Fan]

I had Vancouver in 5 in 2011 and may have if Adam Rome didn't lay out Nathan Horton

I am an advocate of Sweeney drafting but I was hoping Carlo & McAvoy would be playing this well in Providence

I can never pick bruins to lose a playoff round so i was lucky i got vancouver right. Ive been wrong too many times over the past 40 years though

 

[LouJersey]

I would still take Barzal over DeBrusk in a heartbeat but my argument against the picks was against Senyshyn.... if you feel that you have so many 1st round picks that you can make a swing-for-the-fences gamble on a high-end talent, then why not go for the one that fell into your lap rather than reaching deep into the 2nd?

I'd take Barzal over DeBrusk BUT would take DeBrusk over Senyshyn so we would have ended up with both (and they would have complimented each other very well too).

Wanting Barzal had/has more to do with Barzal having a higher offensive ceiling than DeBrusk who has a safer floor. DeBrusk has impressed me at times and his skating has really improved. Neither of his parents are thin people, so there should be a chance to pack 15pds on over the next few years which is really needed in his style of game.

On a side note: DeBrusk is 7 months older than Barzal --not insignificant when comparing guys from the same draft "year". It also allowed DeBrusk an extra year (in preparing for this year) to go play pro while Barzal was too young for the AHL and had to spin his tires for another year in the WHL just toying with the competition when he would have been way better off playing against men.

Bruins felt I guess he was too small for wing and played too much of a one way game maybe as a center? The WHL scout obviously liked JDB more than Matty Ice, so I would like someone to interview him to find out his thought process, unless he didn't and Gretzky overruled him?

I have been less than impressive with Barzal this year (I've seen 4+ games), he just has a hard time with making plays with bigger players. That being said, this is his "AHL" year, so he needs to get used to the speed and will hopefully be ok.

 

[Alberta_OReilly_Fan]

I've said this since day 1 and completely agree. Zboril was a need and appropriately ranked, liked that pick a lot when it happened. Debrusk seemed like a very high floor guy who could step into the lineup pretty soon..didn't love the pick but you have to think his character/grit/high loor/ability to at LEAST provide secondary scoring was attractive to them. Senyshyn was a swing for the fences pick IMO. Has the skillset to be a legitimate top 6 goal scorer or completely bust.

Honestly i didnt know enough about any of these kids to have an opinion... but i definitely have an opinion on people who have opinions

Reality is that less than 50% of kids drafted outside the top 10 will ever be impact nhl players. The best talent evaluator on the planet will be wrong more often then hes right.

We all need to get way less uptight trying to rank 18 year old kids

I mean i could toss out the names of 30 guys retired in the hall of fame and this board wouldnt agree how to rank them... and thats after we all seen them play 10+ years

If our picks play... great... success...

If they dont... that sometimes happens and it even happens to the kids we liked ourselves

 

[bearcountry17]

You're argument is just as poor to be honest. Small sample sizes all around.

A small sample size like a single scrimmage or RUS/CHL game(whatever it was)?

I think u missed my point.

But it is funny that these pessimists like to jump on small sample sizes like flies on shit when a player is struggling yet are the first to scream “SAMPLE SIZE” when they’re starting to look wrong.

 

[PB37]

Happy 21st Birthday, Mr. DeBrusk!

 

[compan]

I fully expected me to be more excited about Bjork than DeBrusk and though Bjork would be the better player at the start of the season. DeBrusk has been pleasantly surprising me. The kid should have a nice career in the NHL if he keeps progressing.

 

[JP Nolan]

Like DeBrusk a lot....Gotta love the blood line and he has a nose for the net and will score greasy goals.....Give Sweeney credit here proving you can be wrong all the time...

 

[ODAAT]

I fully expected me to be more excited about Bjork than DeBrusk and though Bjork would be the better player at the start of the season. DeBrusk has been pleasantly surprising me. The kid should have a nice career in the NHL if he keeps progressing.

I like them both, I also think that Jake playing the entire year in Providence has given him a bit of a head start on assimilating to the pro game. I think Bjork has that ability to bring you out of your seat and once he settles in a bit, we`ll see it more while Jake plays that North/South game which isn`t at all a criticism.

Both have work to do in their development but I like what I`ve seen so far, mistakes made by both but that`s all part of the learning curve

 

[BNHL]

My impression from the getgo was that DeBrusk was a very mature kid. Maturity as a talented youngster translates to success as he gains experience. Reminds me of Bergeron.

 

[Over the volcano]

Kid's been a straight up player this year. Big strides since breaking into professional hockey in Providence last year. He's constantly making the adjustments he needs and bringing strong game in all aspects.

Funny to see the shift from DeBrusk as "the big mistake reach pick" to Senyshyn - and to see Senyshyn get the same treatment for his first production in Providence that Debrusk got 365 days ago.

 

[ranold26]

Jake is a legit stud in the making. Getting better and better every game.
That frame, skating and hands are a potential lethal combo.

 

[rocketdan9]

I would still take Barzal over DeBrusk in a heartbeat but my argument against the picks was against Senyshyn.... if you feel that you have so many 1st round picks that you can make a swing-for-the-fences gamble on a high-end talent, then why not go for the one that fell into your lap rather than reaching deep into the 2nd?

I'd take Barzal over DeBrusk BUT would take DeBrusk over Senyshyn so we would have ended up with both (and they would have complimented each other very well too).

Wanting Barzal had/has more to do with Barzal having a higher offensive ceiling than DeBrusk who has a safer floor. DeBrusk has impressed me at times and his skating has really improved. Neither of his parents are thin people, so there should be a chance to pack 15pds on over the next few years which is really needed in his style of game.

On a side note: DeBrusk is 7 months older than Barzal --not insignificant when comparing guys from the same draft "year". It also allowed DeBrusk an extra year (in preparing for this year) to go play pro while Barzal was too young for the AHL and had to spin his tires for another year in the WHL just toying with the competition when he would have been way better off playing against men.

i agree that the bruins should have taken Barzal over Seny

But I'm glad the Bruins chose Debrusk.

 

[Bruinfanatic]

The kid has some wheels doesn't he.

 

[VanIsle]

The kid has some wheels doesn't he.

He reminded me of Seguin yesterday, how he looks and breaking through multiple defenders.

 

[Bruinfanatic]

He reminded me of Seguin yesterday, how he looks and breaking through multiple defenders.

Let's hope

 

[rocketdan9]

who do you guys think will be better between Heinen, Debrusk, Bjork??

 

[Mick Riddleton]

who do you guys think will be better between Heinen, Debrusk, Bjork??

Heinen to me looks complete and polished. DeBrusk looks like a I am going go through you and the wall type of guy and Bjork is all skill like Pasta but maybe just maybe better long term. One thing for sure is they can all score and play the game the right way. Gotta give the scouting some props on this. All this Barzal talk is because the kid is playing well, if he was tanking it would be quite. The main board has blown up again about it because one of our own started a thread about it, yeah nice work, great job - friendly fire. I like to add Cehlarik in the talks too as he is just as polished and game ready. I would not mind seeing Bjork go to the AHL for some seasoning, it would be good for him.

 

[pkunit]

who do you guys think will be better between Heinen, Debrusk, Bjork??

Hopefully equals! Good mix right there!

 

[trenton1]

I think it's about team building. The Bruins got their top 5 skill player the year before in Pastrnak (he just happened to be there at 25--how bad are most of those teams kicking themselves?) and they may have gotten 1st round talent out of Carlo and Bjork in that same time-frame.
I'm a little unsure about Senyshyn but DeBrusk is one that I'm glad they got. When building a solid and versatile competitor, he's the kind of winger you covet, IMO.

 

[BruinDust]

I find the way looks when he skates and handles the puck, reminds me of a smaller Rick Nash.

 

[pkunit]

I find the way looks when he skates and handles the puck, reminds me of a smaller Rick Nash.

Excellent comparison! Faster Nash.

 

[wintersej]

i agree that the bruins should have taken Barzal over Seny

But I'm glad the Bruins chose Debrusk.

Not to go off topic, a year ago I thought "I'm glad the Bruins took Senyshyn and Barzal looks like a PP specialist, but man, wish we had Connor instead of DeBrusk."

I like DeBrusk a lot more than I thought I would. Looking forward to him growing some more man muscle as he knows how to use his body to protect the puck. Much better skater than I thought.

 

[Fopppa]

Excellent comparison! Faster Nash.

Faster Nash? He was scary fast in his 20's, especially for a big man.

 

[chizzler]

Heinen to me looks complete and polished. DeBrusk looks like a I am going go through you and the wall type of guy and Bjork is all skill like Pasta but maybe just maybe better long term. One thing for sure is they can all score and play the game the right way. Gotta give the scouting some props on this. All this Barzal talk is because the kid is playing well, if he was tanking it would be quite. The main board has blown up again about it because one of our own started a thread about it, yeah nice work, great job - friendly fire. I like to add Cehlarik in the talks too as he is just as polished and game ready. I would not mind seeing Bjork go to the AHL for some seasoning, it would be good for him.

Baffles me why people from here go to the main board to get burned. Nothing good will come of it. It's like Twitter.