Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk is ready for the NHL

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The stress is mounting for Bruins rookie Jake DeBrusk as training camp quickly approaches.

And, he wouldn’t want it any other way.

The 20-year-old forward has real potential to earn a spot on the Bruins’ roster out of camp and he’s confident he’ll be able to make an immediate impact in Boston. One of the three first-round selections for the Bruins in 2015, DeBrusk is ready for the next step. He’s a solid two-way forward and already polished as a true pro.

Being a hockey lifer and son of a former NHLer, Louie DeBrusk, has helped the rookie’s development.

“He comes from the pedigree of being in professional hockey for a long time, so he knows the ins and outs of it,” said P-Bruins coach Jay Leach. “Last season, the ups and downs of being a professional he handled pretty well. I’m sure he’s getting some guidance from his dad. Jake knows it’s a long season and hopefully it’s a long career.”

DeBrusk’s versatility is crucial. He’s able to play all three forward positions, which potentially could lead to a spot on one of the top lines for the Bruins. Believe it or not, he’s gaining confidence and is motivated by that stress.

“It’s pretty exciting. Maybe a little too exciting at times,” DeBrusk said. “It’s one of those things where you’ve got to focus on the next game, the next practice, the day-to-day stuff and just be your best self around the rink. You put your best foot forward and see where the cards fall and that’s how I’m going about it.

“I’m pretty confident in myself and how I play, but it doesn’t come easy and it doesn’t go right all the time. There’s going to be some bumps along the way and I can already see it coming but I’m ready for it and hopefully limit those as much as possible.”

Awareness of those ebbs and flows will help guard against those typical growing pains that he’ll continue to experience. Keeping it simple has become a way of life.

“Just play your game and do the things you can control,” he said. “If you prepare the right way and do the right things you might not have those bumps. It’s a long training camp, a long season and everyone has them, so hopefully I can get those bumps out of the way early.”

Despite being one of the youngest players in the AHL last season, DeBrusk’s transition to the pro game went as well as he could have asked for in Providence. After a slow start to the season, he finished with 19 goals and 30 assists for 49 points in 74 games for the P-Bruins.

It wasn’t until a visit from his father that DeBrusk’s game started to come around.

“As soon as he left I started playing really well,” DeBrusk said with a smile. “He analyzed me a bit. He’s still my dad, but it was a good talk and told me the little things to focus on.”

When a player is having success on a consistent basis, confidence grows and that was the case for DeBrusk.

“You’ve got to be the same player every single night, or at least try to be,” he said. “If you don’t have your best game, you’ve got to have your second-best game, or your third-best game to help the team win. There are lots of things I learned last year that I’m taking into this year.”

Developing in the AHL, both on and off the ice, is crucial for a player’s growth. The schedule of playing three games in three days and the long bus rides helps young players realize what it takes to reach the next level.

“Last year I got stronger as the year went on just from playing, from the repetition,” he said. “Playing three games in three days forces you to adjust or you’re left to the wolves. Getting faster and stronger in the summer was a big focus and I’m happy how it went.”

Players that accept that developmental process and embrace the struggles are usually the ones that enjoy success in the NHL.

“It helps in a lot of ways,” he said. “Just going from junior I was the youngest guy on the team, pretty much the youngest guy on the ice every game, so (playing in the AHL) was a bit of an eye-opener. You can’t get away with certain things and you can’t out-muscle as many guys as you thought. You have to learn to play the game a different way. It’s not the NHL but having a full year of pro under my belt I feel very confident I can make the jump. I’m here to prove that.”

Scouts throughout the league were in attendance for the annual Prospects Challenge at HarborCenter and many evaluators believe DeBrusk is ready for the NHL.

“Jake has serious potential to be really anything in the NHL,” Leach said.