Player Discussion Jake DeBrusk IV: The debate rages forth

[Colt.45Orr]

JDB's career in a nutshell. imagine 20-20 hindsight and trading this guy for puljujarvi.

I was on record for wanting to do that trade when the Oil rumours were going on and Poolparty was considered a bust.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

with Foligno out this guy is slowly reverting to the lazy version

 

[The National]

I thought he played well tonight.

 

[13Hockey]

Best forward on the ice tonight for the team

 

[The National]

Led the team in xGF%.

 

[Kalus]

I give him credit for giving more of a second effort so far this season. He's been more engaged and playing with a little more jam. The last few seasons he has only really played that way for a rare game here and there.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

with Foligno out this guy is slowly reverting to the lazy version

What? Didn't he play just one full game with Foligno? Let's not create narratives here. Debrusk is playing quite well and not because the Bruins signed Foligno.

 

[HumBucker]

I thought he was good tonight. Created a few chances.

 

[Thomas 11]

Thought he was excellent tonight. Doing all the things he needs to do. Hard on the forecheck, hitting, digging for loose pucks. This Jake can play on my team anytime. Keep it up kid!

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

Thought he was excellent tonight. Doing all the things he needs to do. Hard on the forecheck, hitting, digging for loose pucks. This Jake can play on my team anytime. Keep it up kid!

Yeah , one of the few guys who actually played well tonight.

 

[BruinsNetwork]

What? Didn't he play just one full game with Foligno? Let's not create narratives here. Debrusk is playing quite well and not because the Bruins signed Foligno.

“I’ve talked to him a little bit,” Foligno said of DeBrusk. “As we go through camp, I always like to kind of get my own bearings first before I really start to dig in and get to know guys, but I can tell he has a ton of potential and a ton of talent, and he wants to be a great player. I think it’s just a matter of understanding what that takes."

“A lot of times people think it’s just a snap of the fingers and a guy figures it out. Sometimes it takes a little bit of a step back to realize, ‘OK, that’s not the way I want to go about doing things.’ I’m sure he’s hungry to prove to people that he’s the player we all envision and that he envisions.
“He has higher standards for himself than a lot of people realize. So I’m looking forward to helping him in that regard, but also just helping the line and maybe helping him become that player. I think he’s put in the work and he looks good out there. Just excited to get going.”

– From WEEI on September 24.


“I like to ask questions,” said DeBrusk. “The biggest thing from Day One is (Foligno) wanted to talk a lot, so we’ve been talking a lot. He’s probably getting sick of me. Same with Erik. Erik’s kind of turning on me a little bit. He’s making alliances already. It’ll be interesting to see how it goes.”

– From the Boston Herald on October 14.


The "narratives" weren't created by anyone here. DeBrusk is having a resurgence and some portion of it is absolutely attributed to bringing in veteran leaders such as Foligno and Haula.

 

[mikelvl]

I thought he was one of their best players last night, hustling way more than last year.

 

[ODAAT]

Ironically played like someone who gave a shit which is the very thing I have hammered him for in the past, solid effort

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

in fairness I was upset about the way they were playing and probably didn't pay attention to much of the game out of disgust so maybe I unfairly bagged on jake last night.

 

[Grasshopperking]

“I’ve talked to him a little bit,” Foligno said of DeBrusk. “As we go through camp, I always like to kind of get my own bearings first before I really start to dig in and get to know guys, but I can tell he has a ton of potential and a ton of talent, and he wants to be a great player. I think it’s just a matter of understanding what that takes."

“A lot of times people think it’s just a snap of the fingers and a guy figures it out. Sometimes it takes a little bit of a step back to realize, ‘OK, that’s not the way I want to go about doing things.’ I’m sure he’s hungry to prove to people that he’s the player we all envision and that he envisions.
“He has higher standards for himself than a lot of people realize. So I’m looking forward to helping him in that regard, but also just helping the line and maybe helping him become that player. I think he’s put in the work and he looks good out there. Just excited to get going.”

– From WEEI on September 24.


“I like to ask questions,” said DeBrusk. “The biggest thing from Day One is (Foligno) wanted to talk a lot, so we’ve been talking a lot. He’s probably getting sick of me. Same with Erik. Erik’s kind of turning on me a little bit. He’s making alliances already. It’ll be interesting to see how it goes.”

– From the Boston Herald on October 14.


The "narratives" weren't created by anyone here. DeBrusk is having a resurgence and some portion of it is absolutely attributed to bringing in veteran leaders such as Foligno and Haula.

Great post, thanks. I love the vets that were brought in. Foligno feels like a Backes; steady, leader, tough and can still play, if at a slightly lower pace.

For Haula, I honestly can't think of a good comp from the recent past. Hes so high energy compared to most Sweeney depth acquisitions. So happy to have a presence like that especially if its benefiting Jake.

Hes gonna take a big step this year.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

“I’ve talked to him a little bit,” Foligno said of DeBrusk. “As we go through camp, I always like to kind of get my own bearings first before I really start to dig in and get to know guys, but I can tell he has a ton of potential and a ton of talent, and he wants to be a great player. I think it’s just a matter of understanding what that takes."

“A lot of times people think it’s just a snap of the fingers and a guy figures it out. Sometimes it takes a little bit of a step back to realize, ‘OK, that’s not the way I want to go about doing things.’ I’m sure he’s hungry to prove to people that he’s the player we all envision and that he envisions.
“He has higher standards for himself than a lot of people realize. So I’m looking forward to helping him in that regard, but also just helping the line and maybe helping him become that player. I think he’s put in the work and he looks good out there. Just excited to get going.”

– From WEEI on September 24.


“I like to ask questions,” said DeBrusk. “The biggest thing from Day One is (Foligno) wanted to talk a lot, so we’ve been talking a lot. He’s probably getting sick of me. Same with Erik. Erik’s kind of turning on me a little bit. He’s making alliances already. It’ll be interesting to see how it goes.”

– From the Boston Herald on October 14.


The "narratives" weren't created by anyone here. DeBrusk is having a resurgence and some portion of it is absolutely attributed to bringing in veteran leaders such as Foligno and Haula.

Hockey players say the right thing all the time. Did Bergeron or Marchand never bother to talk to Debrusk?

I wager Debrusk has more moved on from that difficult outlier of a season and is back to his usual self. There will be inconsistencies as always, but he is a 20-25 goal scorer in talent.

Let's give some credit to the actual player.

 

[Alicat]

Hockey players say the right thing all the time. Did Bergeron or Marchand never bother to talk to Debrusk?

I wager Debrusk has more moved on from that difficult outlier of a season and is back to his usual self. There will be inconsistencies as always, but he is a 20-25 goal scorer in talent.

They probably tried but the onus is on Jake to seek teammates out to talk as well.

Blaming others for his issues is a load of bs.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

They probably tried but the onus is on Jake to seek teammates out to talk as well.

Blaming others for his issues is a load of bs.

Certainly. No one to blame besides Debrusk! I also won't crucify the player for his well documented off ice issues last season. Players are people too.

My point is, why does it have to be looked at as his failure when he fails, but his success is immediately attributed to others? Perhaps Debrusk deserves credit from the fans.

We fans always have our target to blame (mine is Reilly if no one has noticed) but Debrusk is taken to another level of late.

 

[Alicat]

I give him credit for giving more of a second effort so far this season. He's been more engaged and playing with a little more jam. The last few seasons he has only really played that way for a rare game here and there.

He can keep it up so we can get a good return for him.

I'll wait 20 games before I say he's turned it around. 5 games is not enough.

 

[Alicat]

Certainly. No one to blame besides Debrusk! I also won't crucify the player for his well documented off ice issues last season. Players are people too.

My point is, why does it have to be looked at as his failure when he fails, but his success is immediately attributed to others?

Thanks for clarifying and I 100% agree. It sounds like he's finally being held accountable by his line mates.

I'm also willing to bet adding guys like Studnicka and Steen has given him a bit of a kick in the pants. He knows he's got competition now.

Lets see what he does tonight vs. Carolina.

 

[DominicT]

The "narratives" weren't created by anyone here. DeBrusk is having a resurgence and some portion of it is absolutely attributed to bringing in veteran leaders such as Foligno and Haula.

Well, to be fair, before any of those comments were made public, I started the "narrative". I wrote about how Nick Foligno and Chris Kelly would have a positive impact on JDB and later Craig Smith. And I know I mentioned it to you in private beforehand. Also to @Alicat ( <3 <3 ) and we brought it to Jake's thread before anything was written.

I love you buddy, but I love Ali more.

 

[JCRO]

For the advanced statys in the building.

Good stuff from JDB-Haula and whoever else you decide to throw with them right now.

 

[ODAAT]

kid has played well this early season, need to keep er` going

 

[BruinsNetwork]

For the advanced statys in the building.

Good stuff from JDB-Haula and whoever else you decide to throw with them right now.

Interesting enough, the line got better with the addition of Lazar and slightly worse with Kuhlman. However, I don't think "worse" is really fair because Kuhlman's ixGF% was second highest amongst Bruins while the combination with Lazar saw half the amount of TOI as it did with Kuhlman. Either way, the numbers suggest that these guys are all gelling in some capacity and I think the eye test supports that very well.

 

[Dr Hook]

Interesting enough, the line got better with the addition of Lazar and slightly worse with Kuhlman. However, I don't think "worse" is really fair because Kuhlman's ixGF% was second highest amongst Bruins while the combination with Lazar saw half the amount of TOI as it did with Kuhlman. Either way, the numbers suggest that these guys are all gelling in some capacity and I think the eye test supports that very well.

They haven't been bad. I am still having trouble warming up to Kuhlman, though. Every game he works hard and seems about to create something and then very rarely does. I want to change his name to almost.