Confirmed with Link: Canucks sign F Jake DeBrusk to 7-Year, $5.5M AAV Contract

[Regress2TheMeme]

The term is scary. 7 years is a long time if the fit doesn't materialize.

What gives me optimism is this players age and the stylistic fit with Tocchet system. He's got a lot of playoff experience from his Boston days and has shown he can keep playing his game in the post season.

It's a letdown not to get an elite talent but if Tocchet can build a cult in that locker room it will be fun to watch and this should be a decent deal.

 

[alternate]

Just got home from camping so haven't read the thread, but I'm very happy with this signing.

He was clearly plan b or c. All the same, he's a legit top 6 winger which this team badly needs. Not going to be a 40+ goal guy, but should be good for 25+ while bringing speed, physicality, and special teams utility. Also had a very good post season. Very solid fall back option.

As for the contract, comes with the expected July 01 surcharge, but it's not outland. I haven't seen the structure yet, but reasonable enough contract for a top UFA target.

 

[moiderer]

I don't hate the signing, probably slightly positive.

High floor, useful in many areas, will pot 25+ next to Pettersson easily. Feels like a Loui Erikksson (but in his prime) kind of deal.

Maybe the term is too long but looking at the market (Seattle???) it's relatively sane.

Comparing him to Mikheyev is ludicrous though. My guy scored once in 60 next to Petey. He still has fans after game 7 vs. the Oilers?

 

[Alicat]

Good luck to him and good luck to you all when his number one fan starts posting over here.

 

[ForecheckBackcheck]

Am I crazy for thinking that a 27-year old winger who plays physical, is defensively-responsible, solid on the PK, performs well in the playoffs, and has the realistic ability to score 60+ pts* and 30+ goals* is actually... kind of cheap at 5.5M as an UFA?

Good signing. May not work out of course, but the value seems solid from the outset.

*(based on a projected 64 points and 34 goals in 2022-2023; 64 games played)

 

[Hit the post]

Just got home from camping so haven't read the thread, but I'm very happy with this signing.

He was clearly plan b or c. All the same, he's a legit top 6 winger which this team badly needs. Not going to be a 40+ goal guy, but should be good for 25+ while bringing speed, physicality, and special teams utility. Also had a very good post season. Very solid fall back option.

As for the contract, comes with the expected July 01 surcharge, but it's not outland. I haven't seen the structure yet, but reasonable enough contract for a top UFA target.

I kind of had a soft spot for "High Noon ripoff in a deep space setting" as it does have Connery in it:

 

[mossey3535]

I always thought he was good but his continually "wanting out of Boston" always seemed kind of weird and a bit off-putting to me. Not sure of the story there. Then again, Boston hasn't gone anywhere in the post-season really.

 

[beckstreaker07]

ESPN Free Agency Grades:

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

I always thought he was good but his continually "wanting out of Boston" always seemed kind of weird and a bit off-putting to me. Not sure of the story there. Then again, Boston hasn't gone anywhere in the post-season really.

I think I recall reading somewhere he felt miscast or underutilized in Boston, but I could be mistaken.

He’ll definitely get a big opportunity here.

 

[mossey3535]

Oh shit, does this mean Louie will have to fanboy for us now? hahahaha

 

[EpochLink]

Debrusk is a playoff performer, he’s scored some monster goals for Boston.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Could see a scenario where he breaks out with a top C and pops 30 goals next year. Could also see this being another of those $5 million winger deals that just get in the way.

i think the risk/reward is there but at least if he’s an in the way guy, he can be an overqualified contributor adding scoring punch to the bottom six, vs being completely unplayable there (kuz) or treading water at best (mik).

term is bonkers but in the short term at least if he’s in the way that means hog or pod or lek is taking a step so their cheap contracts offset his overpay. if he busts it’s not ideal in the medium term but buyoutable in the longterm, esp as the cap rises.

honestly i’d prefer we’d signed no one for the top six today, but if it had to be someone this is the guy i wanted most (if it wasn’t reinhart, guentzel, or lindholm on a discount).

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

call me crazy but i’m also getting some minor jt in tampa vibes here? a guy with some talent and pedigree who plays with jam but situationally has been stuck playing smaller roles than he was capable of

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

call me crazy but i’m also getting some minor jt in tampa vibes here? a guy with some talent and pedigree who plays with jam but situationally has been stuck playing smaller roles than he was capable of

lol and now that i’m reading through the thread a million other ppl have made the same observation so either i am not crazy or we all are

Oh shit, does this mean Louie will have to fanboy for us now? hahahaha

or conversely we are headed for another

situation

let the hilarity ensue

he’s a clown i am so much happier to be getting a debrusk kid than a second gen bertuzzi or domi

 

[mossey3535]

I don't think DeBrusk is going to bust here, He's handily outscored Garland, and wiped the floor with Mikheyev in the last few years. For a player his age and relatively lower utilization in Boston, I can see him thriving here.

Another good thing is that until last year he hadn't played all that much with the Bruin's top guys according to WOWY. Two seasons a go he played a bunch with Marchand but most of the other years he had equal icetime away from him.

However, anything can go wrong with a player fit so here's to hoping.

 

[sting101]

Well anyone who's read my posts knows i was advocating for Debrusk in the likelihood that Reinhart and Guentzel didnt want to sign here.

Pretty much signed for exactly what i thought with a 7th year attached. You really don't get good higher in the order players for free in "free agency" as it comes with a tax/asset cost to unload/buyout at the end and your paying market premiums

As far as the player agree with some of the JT Miller comps here as one of my good buds who is a massive Bruins fan has told me that he still has opportunity upside and that his game has grown the last couple years. From my own perspective watching far less games i agree somewhat but also realize he doesn't have the hands and playmaking of Miller so i will remain tempered.

The big question mark or bonus is if he can play the bumper successfully on PP1. He's somewhat similar to Horvat and has enough size speed and skill to help entries and play the role which could turn his scoring up big if so.

He will compliment our top6 talent in a good way. He's fast and heavy and had 17pts in his last 20 playoff games. Was extremely close in 5v5 to goals to Guentzel and in context of minutes as effective but that doesn't always translate as players play more of them. At any rate he will be a great teammate is of high character and i am excited to add him to our core.

 

[Russian_fanatic]

I'm glad I'm not the only one seeing the JT Miller parallels.

He never fit in Boston, he was always just the 'other guy'. He always did the little things, was defensively responsible, physical, and he scored.

I have this feeling he's going to score 30+ next season. Love this signing.

 

[hookshott]

Terms longer than I’d like but $ wise it’s not absurd. I'm assuming he takes Mikheyevs spot which means EP might have someone who can actually put the puck in the net for a change

Petey does have somebody who "can actually put the puck in the net".....his good friend Nils Hoglander who had 24 goals last season (all on 5 on 5). Debrusk had 19. Both played 80 games. Hoglander makes 1.125 M. Signing Debrusk feels like Banning signing Sutter...but worse as it is a longer term. A deal they will soon regret. Just when we thought we had a crafty administrative team they go and do this not long after getting fleeced by Calgary in the Linholm trade. Losing faith!

 

[SantosLHalpar]

Petey does have somebody who "can actually put the puck in the net".....his good friend Nils Hoglander who had 24 goals last season (all on 5 on 5). Debrusk had 19. Both played 80 games. Hoglander makes 1.125 M. Signing Debrusk feels like Banning signing Sutter...but worse as it is a longer term. A deal they will soon regret. Just when we thought we had a crafty administrative team they go and do this not long after getting fleeced by Calgary in the Linholm trade. Losing faith!

Good Lord

 

[Shareefruck]

Is it just his scoring that's inconsistent, or his all around game/work ethic?

Because even if he's offensively consistent, I do like the idea of surrounding Pettersson with two ultra tenacious players, considering his occasional struggles.

 

[Blue and Green]

Petey does have somebody who "can actually put the puck in the net".....his good friend Nils Hoglander who had 24 goals last season (all on 5 on 5). Debrusk had 19. Both played 80 games. Hoglander makes 1.125 M. Signing Debrusk feels like Banning signing Sutter...but worse as it is a longer term. A deal they will soon regret. Just when we thought we had a crafty administrative team they go and do this not long after getting fleeced by Calgary in the Linholm trade. Losing faith!

Hoglander scored on 20% of his shots on goal and then became a ghost in the playoffs. Debrusk is a considerably more accomplished and rounded player at this stage.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Term is long, but he'll be good for the contending window.

Management clearly thinks he has more to give.

 

[Brock Boeser Laser Show]

I can't believe people are comparing the likes of Sutter or Mikheyev to Debrusk. You can hate the contract or player but no need to exaggerate by putting Debrusk at that level.

Debrusk base line produxtion is 20-25 goals and 40-50 points. If either Sutter or Mikheyev could do that every year(or even once) people wouldve been doing happy dances and lots of drugs. It's easy to see Debrusk push 25-30 goals and 50 + points a year here for the first 3 or 4 years of this contract. The last few years of this contract may not be great but what can you do in a world where every 34 year old is getting a long term contract.

The other important thing to note is that Debrusk would've been tied for 2nd in goals and 3rd in
points for the canucks in the playoffs this year. He's a 25+ pace goal scorer in playoffs. He's not guentzel but he's going to pop some goals when it matters.

 

[Regal]

Is it just his scoring that's inconsistent, or his all around game/work ethic?

Because even if he's offensively consistent, I do like the idea of surrounding Pettersson with two ultra tenacious players, considering his occasional struggles.

I worry about both of them not being creative enough with Petey though. Part of what worked with Kuzmenko was that Pettersson didn’t have to be the only one making passes

 

[F A N]

Debrusk is going to be what management hoped Mikheyev was.