It wasn't all that long ago — just over a year ago — when the prospect of Jake DeBrusk playing in front of 40,000 Boston fans might well have been a dicey proposition.
In late November 2021, DeBrusk was struggling after being a healthy scratch and was sitting with just three goals and three assists in 17 games this season. He was having a tough time finding his way forward in Bruce Cassidy's system, and things didn't look like they were going to improve much. So DeBrusk made it known to the Bruins' brass that he would prefer a trade out of Boston.
"We expect Jake to play well," general manager Don Sweeney said at the time. "This comes down to the Boston Bruins having to make a hockey decision. And for Jake, it comes down to him playing his best hockey. Whether that's for us - and hopefully that's for us tonight - but also if it is leading to an opportunity elsewhere, he has to play his best hockey as a player."
Just over a year later, and the sight of DeBrusk being the toast of nearly 40,000 fans packed in Fenway Park for the Winter Classic — after his two third-period goals lifted the Bruins to a 2-1 win over the Penguins their 29th victory — was quite the sight to behold.
A lost young man found to the point that it's hard to imagine a time when the Bruins explored trading the 26-year-old winger.
The moment wasn't lost on DeBrusk, not in the slightest.
"I'm speechless about it," DeBrusk said. "It's probably the highlight of my life so far, hockey-wise and everything. How can it not be? It's Fenway Park with yellow everywhere and it's a good game that we won. It's one of those things where I'm lucky to do it with this bunch of guys.
“It’s been a whirlwind, to say the least. It’s obviously something that’s special for this entire group and myself. This is Fenway Park, Winter Classic and something that you dream of doing, obviously. You dream of scoring in the Winter Classic. … Just lucky enough to get some good bounces. Linus (Ullmark) kept us in it and we had some big kills at the right times. Really feel blessed honestly to be in this position.”
Patrice Bergeron, whose nonchalant attitude toward the trade request at the time set the stage for DeBrusk to have a better second of the season last year, continues to be impressed by his teammate.
"Yeah, it's been great, it's been special," Bergeron said. "He's a great guy that wants to get better. You know, I think it's been rocky at times the last few years before that. But that being said, he's stuck with it and he shows you character and we all believe in him and he took it upon himself to work on things in areas that he had to work on and he keeps getting better and keeps doing that. So happy to have him on our side."
DeBrusk and the Bruins had a tough time getting going in this game as the Penguins carried the play for most of the first two periods. DeBrusk had a few chances, but the Bruins wanted to get inside a bit more to break through. Enter DeBrusk, who scored his first on a wraparound and chipped the second one in up close for the game-winner.
"It was a great, great moment," Bergeron said. "I thought had a few looks actually all game, ringing off the post in the first, actually a couple of good looks before that. So, you know, he wasn't in the right area, we talked about getting to the inside, which we didn't do enough, I thought in the first two and he got rewarded. So kudos to him for doing the right things."
With 16 goals in 36 games, DeBrusk is now on pace to score 30 goals for the first time in his career (28 in 2019).
Not bad for a player who wasn't sure he wanted to be here all that long ago.
“He’s a lot tougher than people think and he’s more committed than people are aware,” coach Jim Montgomery said. “Because of those things, his game is growing, he’s matured and you can see it. He’s on pace to get over 30 goals and it doesn’t matter where I use him, he seems to spark the people he plays with.”