Bruins rookie Jake DeBrusk off to strong start with David Krejci & David Pastrnak

Bruins rookie Jake DeBrusk knows soon-to-be Hall of Famer Mark Recchi won three Stanley Cup championships by going to the front of the net as a battering ram.

DeBrusk also knows three-time Stanley Cup winner Sidney Crosby can score any type of goal he wants, and the majority of them come within five feet of the net, a lot of them off the deflection.

It’s those types of greasy goals that the elite players look for time and again. It leads to points. It leads to victories. Historically it leads to championships. Most importantly, it leads to respect.

We’re not here to put DeBrusk, a 20-year-old forward, into the Hall of Fame, or etch his name into the Stanley Cup, but the early sample size is he’s willing to do what’s needed to earn a roster spot and play on a line with David Krejci and David Pastrnak for the 2017-18 season and beyond.

Entering his second pro season, DeBrusk has increasingly improved his game and his willingness to go to those dirty areas was on display during Boston’s 4-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings in the second preseason game Tuesday night at TD Garden.

DeBrusk used his 6-foot, 183-pound frame well at both ends of the ice, especially in front of the opposition’s net.

“I’m going there because that’s where the puck’s going to be,” he said.

The skill level and chemistry between Krejci and Pastrnak has the potential to be off the charts. They enjoy playing together and understand DeBrusk has the ability to make them better. He said he’s ready to take the next step in his development and wants to do it at the NHL level with those two players.

“Today was a good start,” DeBrusk said. “You don’t want to peak at the start of preseason, but you want to play well and you want to contribute. The one thing coming into today was I wanted to get on the scoreboard, or help (linemates) get on the scoreboard but unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way. I felt the overall gameplay was better than what I thought it was going to be.”

That didn’t spend too much time in the defensive zone the entire game, which bodes well for the Bruins success moving forward, especially under Bruce Cassidy’s structure.

“It felt like we were always buzzing in the offensive zone, always moving and I’ve never been part of something like that,” admitted DeBrusk. “It was pretty cool, pretty unique. I want to stay on that line and my next step is to get on the board, get through the floodgates.

“My style of game can help their style of game. It complements it in certain ways because I can turn pucks over. I go to the hard areas. I’ll work my bag off just to get them the puck all the time.”

Not so much during Tuesday’s game, but anyone watching practice can get a better sense of the type of player DeBrusk wants to be. Time and again he’ll get frustrated at practice. After a drill, he’ll shoot the puck against the boards or slam his stick. He’s not upset with anyone but himself.

“I expect a lot out of myself,” he said. “When you get opportunities like this you want to be hot off the start, everyone wants to be scoring all the goals, but it’s the first game and you want to get better as it goes along, so when you go into the regular season hopefully we’re still together and hopefully we’re coming in flying high. It’s fun playing with them and it’s unique, for sure.”

DeBrusk is considered a hockey lifer. He’s the son of former NHLer, Louie DeBrusk. The younger DeBrusk grew up in a rink around pro hockey. He remembers exactly what his father told him after the 2015 draft when Jake was selected No. 14 overall.

“He said, ‘You made it this far and things have worked out but this is where the real work starts.’ It’s a classic cliché but he was right,” DeBrusk said. “Everything he said was right. He told me I would be put into spots to be successful and I have to be ready. He told me to enjoy it and be a sponge right now and have fun because it’s the time of your life.”

Most NHL players that have hockey in their bloodline, whether it’s a father, brother or uncle, want to shy away from that lineage, at least publicly. DeBrusk is the complete opposite. He knows who he is and he’s taken advantage of his DNA, while becoming his own man, own type of player too.

“He’s a big reason why I’m here now – pretty much the main reason,” DeBrusk said.

That pedigree has helped him reach this point. He understands the ins and outs of pro hockey. He’s already experienced the ups and downs of being a pro last season in Providence and he’s handled it well. The guidance from his father helps.

“I got to believe it gives you an advantage, simply because you are around the rinks, if you are fortunate enough to be able to do that,” Cassidy said. “Understand that the advice and respect coming from your father because he’s been at that level, so I do believe there is a bit of an advantage that way. I don’t think it ultimately decides. I don’t see how that couldn’t help, it couldn’t hurt. Unless your parents are pushing you so hard you hate the game, but usually you’re out of it by now if that is the case.”

DeBrusk is very much in the game and on the verge of playing in the NHL on a full-time basis.