Re-sign Jake DeBrusk to an extension
If there is one player the Bruins should make it a priority to re-sign, it’s Jake DeBrusk, who is coming off of another bridge deal and should be in line for an even larger contract after a pair of solid seasons.
He’s not a dynamic points producer, but DeBrusk nonetheless has been an incredible chess piece on the top and middle-six, with a hard-hitting approach and play that has him on the ice for more goals than expected at even strength, while he’s on the ice for fewer-than-expected in the same situation.
And you can even say it was a “down year” for DeBrusk or at least by his standards, as his points total, Corsi For percentage and on-ice shooting percentage at even strength all took a hit. Yet he’s a trusted player on special teams, and DeBrusk is also someone who gets hot when a sense of urgency is at its highest.
His most dynamic play came during the postseason when he led the team with 11 points and five goals in 13 games. You can argue that he was Boston’s most physical forward during that stretch, averaging over four hits per contest, and he was getting in front of at least one shot on goal per game.
If DeBrusk brings play that resembles what he did in the playoffs, then we shouldn’t have seen the best of him in a Bruins uniform just yet, even if there are no guarantees he returns. This is a player the Bruins can’t allow to walk because if someone in the Eastern Conference signs him, specifically in the Atlantic Division, he will have no problem reminding them of what kind of dynamic player he is.