The Toronto Maple Leafs and prospective free agency forward Jake DeBrusk have a mutual interest.
DeBrusk is slated to become an unrestricted free agent after finishing his two-year, $8 million contract with the Boston Bruins. Former NHL player and Toronto Star journalist Nick Kypreos wrote in his column on June 19 that Toronto is interested in signing DeBrusk.
“There’s word they may have interest in pending Bruins free agent Jake DeBrusk, who’s been a Leafs playoff killer over the years,” according to Kypreos.
Following Kypreos’ claim, Nick Alberga of The Nation Network said that the Maple Leafs’ interest in DeBrusk is mutual, with the forward eager in joining them in free agency.
Furthermore, I heard over the weekend that there’s actually mutual interest between the Leafs & Jake DeBrusk. https://t.co/HU2dqZetgD
— Nick Alberga (@thegoldenmuzzy) June 20, 2024
“Furthermore, I heard over the weekend that there’s actually mutual interest between the Leafs & Jake DeBrusk,” Alberga posted on Twitter.
DailyFaceoff.com expects DeBrusk to sign a five-year contract worth $6 million per season.
In 80 games with the Bruins last season, DeBrusk had 19 goals and 21 assists for 40 points. DeBrusk is renowned as a Leaf killer, having scored three goals and two assists for a total of five points against Toronto in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. DeBrusk has six goals and five assists in 17 games versus the Maple Leafs.
DeBrusk ‘Looking Forward’ to Getting a Deal Done
DeBrusk will become an unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career on July 1.
DeBrusk, who is entering free agency, understands that there is a financial side to hockey, but the forward says he is just looking forward to closing the deal.
“I understand that business is business,” DeBrusk told NHL.com. “I have been here for a while. I’ve seen [a lot] of transactions with people and whatnot, so I guess I understand their perspective and how they normally function. So I wasn’t completely astonished, but I had expected it to be completed and everything to fall into place sooner. However, getting to this year was quite stressful for me and required a lot of effort, so I’m simply looking forward to going away, to be honest.”
DeBrusk has been with the Bruins since he was taken 14th overall in the 2015 NHL Draft. He didn’t make his NHL debut until the 2017-18 season, but he’s been a full-time player ever since.
DeBrusk has also had issues with the Bruins, with the forward publicly requesting a trade out of Boston on November 29, 2021. There was no transaction struck, and DeBrusk canceled his proposal in July 2022.
Maple Leafs Front Office Open to Changes
Toronto was ousted in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and the Maple Leafs’ front staff says they will evaluate all options this summer.
Since the season concluded, Toronto has been linked to trade talks involving both Mitch Marner and John Tavares. Both would have to renounce their no-movement clauses, so whether or not either would be traded remains to be seen.
The Maple Leafs approach the offseason with just more than $18 million in cap space. However, Toronto has several major free agents, including Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, Joel Edmundson, and RFAs Timothy Liljegren and Nicholas Robertson.
Free agency is set to begin on July 1.
