Donnelly: Entering a contract year, where does Jake DeBrusk stand in this next Bruins core?

All is going pretty well in Jake DeBrusk's Bruins world.

Despite the first-round playoff collapse for the team, 2022-23 was individually DeBrusk's best season as a member of the organization after he officially rescinded his trade request from a turbulent 2021-22 season.

Don Sweeney and the Bruins wisely did not give in to the trade request, even if DeBrusk grated against former coach Bruce Cassidy. Rather than shipping out a damaged asset for pennies on the dollar, Boston extended DeBrusk at $4 million per season through 2023-24. It quickly turned into one of the best values on the B's roster.

DeBrusk finished 2021-22 with 25 goals and tied a career-high with 42 points, finally clicking as a speedy force in the top-six. This past season, Jim Montgomery continued to deploy DeBrusk alongside Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron this past season, where his skating and finishing abilities were strong compliments on the top line, a trio that is as strong as any at driving play. His linemates certainly help, but either way, the Bruins dominated at 5-on-5 with DeBrusk on the ice this season with a plus-25 goal differential and out-performing their expected goals differential of plus-16.46, according to Natural Stat Trick. They held over 60 percent of scoring chances, high-danger chances and high-danger goals, while also controlling at least 58 percent of shot attempts and shots as well. 

With a fractured fibula and a hand injury limiting him to 64 games, he still managed to tie a career-high in goals (27) and set a career-best in points (50). It was his most productive year at 5-on-5, potting 19 goals and creating 75 individual high-danger chances.

He added four goals and a pair of assists in the playoffs. Had he not missed the 18 games, DeBrusk would have been on pace for 35 goals and 64 points over a full 82 games. He might have flirted with 40 goals if he caught fire for a stretch. One of his more signature moments in a Bruins sweater came as he buried the game-tying and winning goals in the third of the Winter Classic after sustaining his injuries earlier in the contest. 

DeBrusk continued to expand his all-around game, nearly doubling his previous career-high for ice time on the penalty kill (87:09 in 64 games in 2022-23; 48:30 in 77 games in 2021-22). His speed was a difference-maker in shorthanded situations.  

Needless to say, DeBrusk is thankful to have not been traded.

“For sure. It was obviously a crazy year ago at this point in time and even before that. I did feel lucky," DeBrusk said during breakup day. "I felt lucky to be here every day. Even just with the start that we had as a group. With the guys in this locker room, it just felt special, and I tried to take every moment I could of any day that I was here, and I was just really grateful for the opportunity. Obviously, at the same time, it was not the result we wanted, so it stings as well.”

So, where does all of that leave DeBrusk as a long-term member of the Bruins? As of right now, it's challenging to project.

He remains on the upswing as he enters a critical contract year in 2023-24. Should the salary cap jump up to $87.5 million as expected, Boston will have over $29 million in cap space to play around with as things currently stand, a portion of which could go toward a DeBrusk extension. 

Some of that space will be expected to be allocated to Jeremy Swayman. Should one of the top-flight centers in the final year of their deals get to the open market, the B's will be there with their hands raised in search of their services. DeBrusk could further add to a loaded free agent class next summer. Then again, the star-studded class could squeeze some players not in that elite tier. Nevertheless, there will be more money to go around than the previous three seasons, no matter what. 

The Bruins expect to be in the playoff mix this season, even after Patrice Bergeron's retirement and the slew of free-agent departures, but if the season is floundering when the 2024 trade deadline rolls around, DeBrusk should be one of their most tradable assets, along with Matt Grzelcyk. This is an organization in dire need of draft selections, after all. 

Grzelcyk has found himself the subject of rampant trade speculation this summer, something DeBrusk knows well in the wake of his trade request a season ago. It briefly picked up again for the latter this summer when NYI Hockey Now's Andrew Fantucchio formulated a deal that would send DeBrusk to the Islanders for Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Oliver Wahlstrom, hardly a deal that would make sense for Boston. Pageau is a third-line center, perhaps a middle-six player at best, with one 20-goal season to his name. Sure, the B's need centers, but they already have an offensively-limited middle-sixer in Coyle. Wahlstrom is a young goal-scorer who is yet to prove he can score goals at an impactful, NHL level. 

I would hope DeBrusk would fetch a greater return if he is to be traded, especially considering the way financial flexibility should increase around the league. He'd likely be one of the more coveted trade chips at the deadline if Boston were to sell. Perhaps he could be involved in a package to attain a more impactful center. 

If the B's prefer to extend him for the long haul, should he get a maximum of eight years, especially given his past inconsistencies? Just as the weeks and months in the wake of DeBrusk's trade request were important in determining his future in Boston, his start to this coming season could be just as valuable. More responsibility will be on his shoulders in the top-six, and he'll be expected to help complement newly-minted top-six centers in Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle. His growing penchant for net-front production should become even more valuable, too. 

If DeBrusk continues his strong run of form and things play out as expected for the Bruins, he'll surely be a prime extension candidate. Some comparable players (in terms of production) entering contract years could be Mats Zuccarello, Jonathan Marchesseault or Jordan Eberle. AFP Analytics projects Zuccarello to earn $6.083 million in an extension, Marchesseault to earn $6.237 million and Eberle to earn $5.336 million. Perhaps an extension for DeBrusk could come in around the $6 million neighborhood over six years, but that's purely speculative. 

After a summer of hard decisions, more still lie ahead for the Bruins' front office.