By: Tom Calautti | Follow me on Twitter @TCalauttis
Whether you like them or not, it’s impossible not to be intrigued by the possibility of hypothetical what-ifs. They allow us to scratch that unreachable itch in the part of our brain where fantasy and imagination reside. And perhaps one of the biggest what-ifs of our modern-day Boston Bruins involves Jake DeBrusk.
DeBrusk returned to Causeway Street last night for the first time in an opposing uniform as he and his newfound team, the Vancouver Canucks, took on the Black and Gold in an early-season matchup. The TD Garden faithful welcomed DeBrusk and former Bruin Danton Heinen back with open arms, giving them a standing ovation during a first-period video tribute. DeBrusk’s return to Boston triggered that itchy part of my brain and made me wonder just how many what-ifs surround his Bruins tenure.
What If the Bruins Never Draft Jake DeBrusk
DeBrusk’s relationship with the Bruins started during the accursed 2015 NHL Draft when General Manager Don Sweeney selected him with the second of three consecutive picks in the first round. We don’t need to relitigate which current NHLers came after DeBrusk, but it’s important to remember that if the Bruins got their way, they never would’ve used all three of those picks.
Rumors have run wild regarding who the team was actually targeting at the top of the draft. Still, everything I’ve seen suggests that Sweeney was targeting current franchise defensemen Zach Werenski or Noah Hanifin. What if the Boston Bruins acquired a top-of-the-line defenseman for several first-round picks?
Maybe it allows the team to target one forward in the second round, or maybe it makes them prioritize a scoring winger in free agency. It’s difficult to know for sure, but it’s impossible to look at the 2015 draft and not consider it one of the biggest what-ifs in team history.
What If Jake DeBrusk Never gets Concussed in the 2019 Playoffs
The first round of the 2019 playoffs was an instant classic between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins. Although Boston prevailed in seven games against their (most recent) arch-rivals, the series didn’t come without its lumps. During game two of that series, Nazem Kadri cross-checked Jake DeBrusk in the head and was suspended for the remainder of the series. While nothing was confirmed, it became quite obvious to fans that DeBrusk suffered a concussion on that play.
Whether you like DeBrusk or not, he’s always been a solid playoff performer while donning the spoked-B. Throughout 87 playoff games, the Edmonton native has amassed 27 goals, 20 assists, and 47 points. The usually effective DeBrusk could only muster four goals and 11 points during the 2019 Stanley Cup run, and it’s human nature to wonder if he would’ve been a bigger factor had he not been hurt.
We’ll never know exactly how injured any of the Bruins were during that series, but it’ll always eat away at me to wonder if a healthy DeBrusk could have swung that series and brought this Bruins core another cup.
What If The Bruins Re-signed Jake DeBrusk
After last night’s contest, Jake DeBrusk currently sits at six goals, eight assists, and 13 points on the season. These numbers would tie him for second on the team in goals (Brad Marchand) and give him sole possession of third place for points. On a team struggling to score and faltering on the powerplay, it’s fair to wonder how their offense would look if DeBrusk were still here.
Make no mistake, bringing Jake DeBrusk back wouldn’t have prevented the regression in the games of Morgan Geekie, Charlie Coyle, and Trent Frederic, nor would it have changed David Pastrnak’s unusually slow start. But now that we’re more than 20 games into the season, one has to wonder if the presence of a consistent 20-goal scorer could’ve made a difference on this team.
Other What-Ifs
There were actually quite a few additional what-ifs I thought about regarding Jake DeBrusk’s tenure with the Boston Bruins:
- What if DeBrusk doesn’t break his leg in 2022-23? He would’ve more than likely scored 30 goals while skating alongside Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. Maybe then the Bruins would’ve prioritized extending him?
- What if he doesn’t request a trade? Maybe management doesn’t put the microscope on Bruce Cassidy and he gets a longer leash in Boston.
- What if Jim Montgomery doesn’t separate Marchand-Bergeron-DeBrusk in the 2022-23 playoffs? Do they squeak by Florida in the first round and make a cup run?
A part of me will always wonder what could’ve been with the Boston Bruins and Jake DeBrusk. I’m sure there’s an alternate universe out there where my question is answered, but until we uncover the ability to do that, we’ll always have our what-ifs.
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