Anthony Travalgia: Jake DeBrusk wants to prove people wrong, will he?

One thing Bruins should not be worrying about is his placement in the Draft order. Sunk costs.

They need to evaluate if he is a good fit for the team and can contribute. If not, look for a trade that will get the Bruins what they need.

One thing Bruins should not be worrying about is his placement in the Draft order. Sunk costs.

supposedly thats why he's already been given such a long leash, so sweeney can prove he didnt completely blow the draft. That's always gonna be tied to sweeney. Considering this team traded Joe Thornton and Tyler Seguin, cant see why its not hard to get rid of DeBrusk.

supposedly thats why he's already been given such a long leash, so sweeney can prove he didnt completely blow the draft. That's always gonna be tied to sweeney. Considering this team traded Joe Thornton and Tyler Seguin, cant see why its not hard to get rid of DeBrusk.
- 77emac77

Yeah - like as if things could get any worse on that front.

First off, Thornton and Seguin had much higher trade value than Debrusk does right now so finding a worthwhile trade partner is much harder.

And secondly, the 2015 draft is not a complete bust...don't forget we also got Carlo in the 2nd round. The only true finger pointing that can really happen is the Senyshyn pick. Hind-sight is always 20/20 as they say but at least Debrusk and Zboril where in the ball-park of where they were taken...Senyshyn, not so much and Sweeney has to own that mistake.

I mean if the reason you passed on Barzal was concern for his knee then fine...pick Debrusk at 14 (the "safer" pick) stay with Zboril at 13 because you needed a d-man but take the flyer at 15 on Barzal who has HUGE upside if his knee turns out to be okay vice taking the REAL stretch on a mid-second rounder at best in Senyshyn.

First off, Thornton and Seguin had much higher trade value than Debrusk does right now so finding a worthwhile trade partner is much harder.

And secondly, the 2015 draft is not a complete bust...don't forget we also got Carlo in the 2nd round. The only true finger pointing that can really happen is the Senyshyn pick. Hind-sight is always 20/20 as they say but at least Debrusk and Zboril where in the ball-park of where they were taken...Senyshyn, not so much and Sweeney has to own that mistake.

I mean if the reason you passed on Barzal was concern for his knee then fine...pick Debrusk at 14 (the "safer" pick) stay with Zboril at 13 because you needed a d-man but take the flyer at 15 on Barzal who has HUGE upside if his knee turns out to be okay vice taking the REAL stretch on a mid-second rounder at best in Senyshyn.
- bluemoon737

The Senyshyn pick was just mind-boggling. Hope those scouts were fired.

As for DeBrusk... his biggest value right now would be ... clearing Cap space.

My problem with Debrusk has to do with what exactly do the bruins expect him to be . What role does he fill. I am sure they thought of him as a 2nd line scoring high talent winger. Even though his numbers in his first couple of years were pretty good I still didn’t see him making or scoring high talent type plays. Thought a lot of his goals were kind of fortunate. He was on the pp and was playing with some good players. When he showed fire and got in front and battled he deserved some good fortune. But is that his strength. I just don’t see him as that high talent 2nd line scorer . So is he a bottom six hard working in your face type ?Scoring gritty big goals. Physical. I think not. In 55 years of watching hockey I have never seen a winger choke up on his stick in his own zone on the boards. How do you accept or make a pass ? The head shaking and depressed look when he misses a opportunity also is not a good look . He can skate, has size and does have some ability. But his mindset and attitude is worrisome. I say get what you can for him along with freeing up some cap space.

My problem with Debrusk has to do with what exactly do the bruins expect him to be . What role does he fill. I am sure they thought of him as a 2nd line scoring high talent winger. Even though his numbers in his first couple of years were pretty good I still didn’t see him making or scoring high talent type plays. Thought a lot of his goals were kind of fortunate. He was on the pp and was playing with some good players. When he showed fire and got in front and battled he deserved some good fortune. But is that his strength. I just don’t see him as that high talent 2nd line scorer . So is he a bottom six hard working in your face type ?Scoring gritty big goals. Physical. I think not. In 55 years of watching hockey I have never seen a winger choke up on his stick in his own zone on the boards. How do you accept or make a pass ? The head shaking and depressed look when he misses a opportunity also is not a good look . He can skate, has size and does have some ability. But his mindset and attitude is worrisome. I say get what you can for him along with freeing up some cap space.
- johnnypie

Definitely no. He's soft as baby-poo.

My problem with Debrusk has to do with what exactly do the bruins expect him to be . What role does he fill. I am sure they thought of him as a 2nd line scoring high talent winger. Even though his numbers in his first couple of years were pretty good I still didn’t see him making or scoring high talent type plays. Thought a lot of his goals were kind of fortunate. He was on the pp and was playing with some good players. When he showed fire and got in front and battled he deserved some good fortune. But is that his strength. I just don’t see him as that high talent 2nd line scorer . So is he a bottom six hard working in your face type ?Scoring gritty big goals. Physical. I think not. In 55 years of watching hockey I have never seen a winger choke up on his stick in his own zone on the boards. How do you accept or make a pass ? The head shaking and depressed look when he misses a opportunity also is not a good look . He can skate, has size and does have some ability. But his mindset and attitude is worrisome. I say get what you can for him along with freeing up some cap space.
- johnnypie

I am glad you noticed him choking up on the stick. He was doing some weird things with his stick this year that i didn't notice in the past..

I think he can bounce back next year but you are right about the mindset. He definitely gets down on missed opportunities. You need to let that poop go and believe that the next one will go in.

He needs to learn how to grind out plays. Once he is contested the play is over. He is only effective when he is moving and has space. Even that effectiveness was down this year.

He would be a good piece towards getting a LD

He definitely has the skills to score goals. I seem to come to the conclusion his hockey IQ is that of a senior rec player. When games get tight (playoffs) and the intensity ramps up he is non existent. That is an indication to me he isn't smart enough on the ice to figure it out. He is very one dimensional, north south player that doesn’t create much offence for his line.

He has some flashes and is still young. I don’t mind him in a third line role but at what cost? If it’s 4mil I think they have to part ways with him.

First off, Thornton and Seguin had much higher trade value than Debrusk does right now so finding a worthwhile trade partner is much harder.

And secondly, the 2015 draft is not a complete bust...don't forget we also got Carlo in the 2nd round. The only true finger pointing that can really happen is the Senyshyn pick. Hind-sight is always 20/20 as they say but at least Debrusk and Zboril where in the ball-park of where they were taken...Senyshyn, not so much and Sweeney has to own that mistake.

I mean if the reason you passed on Barzal was concern for his knee then fine...pick Debrusk at 14 (the "safer" pick) stay with Zboril at 13 because you needed a d-man but take the flyer at 15 on Barzal who has HUGE upside if his knee turns out to be okay vice taking the REAL stretch on a mid-second rounder at best in Senyshyn.
- bluemoon737

despite their trade value, they got practially nothing for those two. the other thing ive mentioned before, which is pathetic if true, Sweeney expected to trade those pick and move up in the draft, and when that didnt happen, he had zero back up plan.

He definitely has the skills to score goals. I seem to come to the conclusion his hockey IQ is that of a senior rec player. When games get tight (playoffs) and the intensity ramps up he is non existent. That is an indication to me he isn't smart enough on the ice. He is very one dimensional, north south player that doesn’t create much offence for his line.

He has some flashes and is still young. I don’t mind him in a third line role but at what cost? If it’s 4mil I think they have to part ways with him.
- Tachmo

$3.675M for one more year. He'll still be an RFA when that ends.

$3.675M for one more year. He'll still be an RFA when that ends.
- Nasty_Duck

At this point I’ve heard they will likely have to expose him to Seattle?
If he holds value in a trade they should maybe start shopping him. But I guess whoever you get back in a trade would have to be exposed as well, unless he’s moved for draft pick (s)

despite their trade value, they got practially nothing for those two. the other thing ive mentioned before, which is pathetic if true, Sweeney expected to trade those pick and move up in the draft, and when that didnt happen, he had zero back up plan.
- 77emac77

I read that as well. That is pretty embarrassing they weren’t prepared..I wish they would have just let Bob Mckenzie, Craig Button, Pierre Mcguire or any other analyst make the picks. If they weren’t prepared why didn’t they just go off the rankings. Barzal would be a Bruin.... It makes my blood boil.

They probably still take Zboril, but it would be Barzal and likely someone else besides Debrusk. I can’t remember who was ranked after Barzal. I think Debrusk was supposed to be a late 1st.

I read that as well. That is pretty embarrassing they weren’t prepared..I wish they would have just let Bob Mckenzie, Craig Button, Pierre Mcguire or any other analyst make the picks. If they weren’t prepared why didn’t they just go off the rankings. Barzal would be a Bruin.... It makes my blood boil.
- Tachmo

I remember watching the draft live and EVERYONE thought Barzal would go in one of the picks. Most expected Connor too. Both were top 15 in almost all rankings. Zboril was in that range but DeBrusk was a bit of a reach. I doubt team scouts consistently do any better in their rankings than the collective media does either.

I read that as well. That is pretty embarrassing they weren’t prepared..I wish they would have just let Bob Mckenzie, Craig Button, Pierre Mcguire or any other analyst make the picks. If they weren’t prepared why didn’t they just go off the rankings. Barzal would be a Bruin.... It makes my blood boil.

They probably still take Zboril, but it would be Barzal and likely someone else besides Debrusk. I can’t remember who was ranked after Barzal. I think Debrusk was supposed to be a late 1st.
- Tachmo

You don’t want to know how was picked after him. I’m pretty sure it was Kyle Connor.

Would have been happy with Barzal and Chabot

I remember watching the draft live and EVERYONE thought Barzal would go in one of the picks. Most expected Connor too. Both were top 15 in almost all rankings. Zboril was in that range but DeBrusk was a bit of a reach. I doubt team scouts consistently do any better in their rankings than the collective media does either.
- jfkst1

The Bruins would have been far better off not even having a scouting department that year.

The Bruins would have been far better off not even having a scouting department that year.
- Tachmo

Exactly.
On another blog, I was not blaming DeBrusk for being drafted that high, I was blaming the Scouts for having their heads up their yahoos.

Exactly.
On another blog, I was not blaming DeBrusk for being drafted that high, I was blaming the Scouts for having their heads up their yahoos.
- Bourque1970

I still blame him for lack of effort. He gives up plays way, way too easily.

The Bruins would have been far better off not even having a scouting department that year.
- Tachmo

I honestly wonder how much benefit NHL scouts provide. Im sure they find unexpected value in later rounds, but does it offset the times they miss on earlier rounds where collective media focuses their efforts?

Someone on SB Nation analyzed years of NHL drafting and found the Senators had the most successful drafting during the GM Murray years and speculated it was because they had the lowest scouting budget and followed collective rankings the most.

I honestly wonder how much benefit NHL scouts provide. Im sure they find unexpected value in later rounds, but does it offset the times they miss on earlier rounds where collective media focuses their efforts?

Someone on SB Nation analyzed years of NHL drafting and found the Senators had the most successful drafting during the GM Murray years and speculated it was because they had the lowest scouting budget and followed collective rankings the most.
- jfkst1

I think some actual truth to that. It would eliminate the need to keep reaching for guys like Don does consistently. Just go with the safe choice. I guess by not having scouts lose the diamond in the roughs. Pasta was a steal. Guys like Bergeron, Marchand were drafted after the first round. Hard to say where these guys were ranked on the central list at the time.

I read that as well. That is pretty embarrassing they weren’t prepared..I wish they would have just let Bob Mckenzie, Craig Button, Pierre Mcguire or any other analyst make the picks. If they weren’t prepared why didn’t they just go off the rankings. Barzal would be a Bruin.... It makes my blood boil.

They probably still take Zboril, but it would be Barzal and likely someone else besides Debrusk. I can’t remember who was ranked after Barzal. I think Debrusk was supposed to be a late 1st.
- Tachmo

They probably would have even been better off having Bob and Doug McKenzie make their picks.

They probably would have even been better off having Bob and Doug McKenzie make their picks.
- bluemoon737

High-schoolers just picking from available lists would have done a better job.

There's probably chimps that can be trained to follow numbers 1-20 that would do as well - if those numbers followed the most recent rankings.