Jake DeBrusk is getting a clean slate of sorts.
After a few too many lackluster performances, Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy decided to healthy scratch the winger Tuesday against the New York Islanders.
With the game as a spectator behind him, DeBrusk will slot back into the lineup Thursday against the New York Rangers. After bouncing around a few different spots already this season, he’ll go to the place he’s most familiar with: The second line left wing with David Krejci as his center.
Whether or not DeBrusk looks at what happened as a clean slate, reset or something else, Cassidy’s messaging has remained consistent.
“I don’t know if it is a reset,” Cassidy said after Thursday’s morning skate. “The message was delivered to him, we all spoke to him, I don’t think there’s any gray area in that right now. It’s we need him to play better. And how, how is he going to play better? I’ve always said with Jake, the message for me to him is it’s a second effort league. And you need more second effort, whether that’s on the forecheck, away from the puck, whether that’s around the front of the net and I think the rest will take care of itself because he has the natural skill set to get things done at this level. …
“Hopefully he resets in terms of putting the last 22 games behind us and let’s look at this as maybe a bit of a fresh start. I think a lot of players do that anyways …
“I’m not going to re-hash (with DeBrusk) what happened Sunday or last Wednesday or whatever. It’s tonight, it’s the Rangers, let’s play. Play to your ability and help the team win, and that’s it.
Simple enough.
The Bruins know how valuable of a player DeBrusk is when he’s on his game. Certainly, they’re hoping the latest message will get through.
