In this edition of Boston Bruins News & Rumors, we will look at the latest updates regarding Jake DeBrusk after his trade request last week. In other news, Tuukka Rask practiced with the Bruins for the first time this season today, though not for the reasons you may think. Meanwhile, rumors are beginning to swirl regarding Patrice Bergeron’s future with the club. Last but not least, the team recalled both John Moore and Jack Ahcan on Monday while re-assigning Oskar Steen.
Latest on DeBrusk
Last week, DeBrusk’s agent requested a trade from the Bruins on behalf of his client. The news wasn’t overly shocking given that the 25-year-old has been reportedly butting heads with head coach Bruce Cassidy for some time. On top of that, he has already been involved in trade rumors for quite some time due to inconsistent play in recent seasons.
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Despite his inconsistent play, there is no denying his skill level, and as a result, several teams are calling the Bruins to ask about him. There have been reports that teams like the Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames are either not interested or cannot make it work salary-wise. However, one team that may fit the bill is the Seattle Kraken.
The Kraken sit in the middle of the league this season, scoring an average of exactly three goals per game. Given the fact that they don’t appear to be a playoff team, acquiring a relatively young forward in DeBrusk and giving him a chance to rediscover his offensive touch would make plenty of sense. According to Elliotte Friedman, the Bruins have let it be known they are looking for either a defenceman or forward with equal value in return. In 20 games this season, DeBrusk has four goals and seven points.
Rask Practices with Bruins
On Monday, many Bruins fans believed the team had signed Rask to a contract after it was reported he was practicing with the team. However, that rumor was dispelled rather quickly, as it was confirmed that he was instead being used as the team’s emergency backup goalie due to Linus Ullmark not being at practice with a non-COVID-related illness.
While a deal hasn’t been signed yet, there is strong reason to believe Rask will be back with the Bruins at some point in the new year. The 34-year-old is currently without a contract and recovering from offseason hip surgery. He has stated that he hopes to return to the Bruins and expects to be ready to play at some point in January.
Rumors Fly Regarding Bergeron’s Future
Bruins fans are well aware that their team’s captain in Bergeron does not yet have a contract for next season. The 36-year-old said before the 2021-22 campaign beginning that he was undecided on his future and wouldn’t enter contract negotiations during the season. Some speculated that might mean he was contemplating retirement, but recently a new rumor has popped up, one that suggests he may be considering joining the arch-rival Montreal Canadiens.
It seems highly unlikely that Bergeron would play with any organization other than the Bruins, the team he has spent his entire 1,164-game career with. However, Friedman suggested that the Habs are considering hiring Kent Hughes, who happens to be Bergeron’s agent, as their new general manager after recently firing Marc Bergevin. This certainly doesn’t mean the Bruins legend is gone, but it is an interesting point worth discussing.
Bruins Make Number of Roster Transactions
On Monday, the Bruins announced they had recalled two defencemen in Moore and Ahcan. This season, Moore, 31, has spent nine games in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Providence Bruins. In those nine games, he has recorded a goal and four helpers. He has logged 538 NHL games throughout his career and could remain with the big club permanently going forward if he can play at his best.
Ahcan, 24, is an offensively gifted but undersized defenceman who hasn’t yet gotten much of a shot at the NHL level. He has played in four career games mixed between this season and last but has failed to get on the scoresheet yet. In 17 AHL games this season, he has scored two goals and 10 points.
The Bruins also announced with these moves that forward Oskar Steen has been re-assigned to Providence. The 23-year-old has played in two games with the big club this season and recorded his first two NHL points during that brief stint. He has played in an additional 12 AHL games, where he has scored six goals and 13 points.
Up Next for the Bruins
The Bruins have struggled to win games in bunches this season and, as a result, have a rather average 12-8-1 record on the season. They will look to pick things up this week, starting with a Wednesday night game against the Vancouver Canucks. They will then face off against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday before taking on a very impressive Calgary Flames squad to end their week on Saturday.
