Bruins' Cassidy pleased with 'invested' DeBrusk's fit on top line
Jake DeBrusk has been through it all this season.
Most notably, he was a healthy scratch in November and then public trade bait for months leading up to the March 21 deadline. However, heading into the playoffs, the winger still finds himself sporting a Boston Bruins jersey with a brand-new extension in hand.
Oh, and he's been a valuable member of Beantown's top line alongside Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand for two months, a union that Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy dubbed "a real good marriage."
"(DeBrusk's) been just as good for that line as they have been for him. ... You can see it in Jake's play. He's invested in every area of the ice, and that's what we always wanted," Cassidy told reporters Wednesday, per Boston Sports Journal's Conor Ryan. "He's given it to us, and as the result, you're seeing it. He looks like a first-line hockey player every night."
A lack of effort was the reason behind Cassidy's decision to scratch DeBrusk in late November, and the news that DeBrusk wanted out of Boston came shortly after as his performance and role on the team continued to diminish.
DeBrusk averaged roughly 20 goals over his first three NHL seasons, but he hit a wall in 2020-21, logging 14 points in 41 games.
The 25-year-old seemed doomed to repeat that shoddy output after putting up nine goals and eight assists in his first 45 games of the 2021-22 campaign, but a promotion to the No. 1 line in late February saw him turn things around.
Since Feb. 24, DeBrusk has motored along with 15 goals and eight assists in 30 contests alongside Bergeron and Marchand, a stint that's included his first career hat trick. The trio has spent almost 300 minutes together on the ice at five-on-five so far this season, and the Bruins have controlled 67.8% of the shot attempts and 70.9% of the expected goals during that span, per Natural Stat Trick.
DeBrusk's average ice time has also increased by two minutes since joining his elite linemates.
"The little things that have made that line successful is, to me, second effort for them and then getting to your spots. He's done a great job with it," Cassidy said.
After navigating a tumultuous season, Debrusk was named the Bruins' nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which recognizes perseverance and dedication.
DeBrusk's future beyond this season is still up in the air, though. Despite signing a two-year, $8-million extension on trade deadline day, he didn't rescind his trade request, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.