Jake DeBrusk Not Willing to Commit to Rescinding Trade Request Yet

Jake DeBrusk may get traded and he may not, but he’s not ready to make a decision on the trade request he submit earlier this season. When asked if his desire was to still be moved, DeBrusk wouldn’t provide any concrete response, offering up a more political response and suggesting he needed more time to think about his future.

Related: Bergeron Says It’s “Too Soon” and “Too Raw” to Predict Future With Bruins

DeBrusk requested a trade out of Boston earlier this season, and to help facilitate a move, signed a two-year deal to give teams that might have interest some contract cost certainty. Not long after, his production improved and he became almost indispensable to a Bruins’ team that was getting almost all of its offense from an aging core and didn’t have much goal-scoring depth. In other words, the Bruins were open to trading him until he got to be too important to trade.

Some wondered if that would anger DeBrusk who signed the deal in an effort to speed up a move but didn’t go anywhere ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline. He remained committed to being a good professional and he wouldn’t let his trade request hinder his effort level, but once the Bruins were eliminated from the postseason, the focus once again shifted towards his trade status.

When asked by reporters at the end of the season team conference if he was still looking to be moved, DeBrusk said he was willing to stay but also said he needed more time to see if it was the right choice for him. He essentially said he’s not made up his mind yet when he explained:

“I haven’t thought about it, to be honest with you. It was kind of nice to not think about it there since the deadline. I’ve been spending lots of time with the boys here. It’s been two days. I’ll go back home with my family and kind of go over the year more thoroughly and then kind of make my call from there. That’s kind of where I’m at.”

The Bruins aren’t going to be quick to move him, especially if Patrice Bergeron decides not to return to the NHL next season. DeBrusk is making fair money and he’s an affordable contract that offers value. Unless the Bruins have a better option, there’d be no reason to move him, other than doing the right thing if they told him they’d try.

But, if he has since changed his mind about sticking it out with the team, he probably knows he’ll get more of an opportunity to produce on a regular basis.

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