The Bruins’ offense, not precisely prolific within the workforce’s first three wins of the season, was set to face the Los Angeles Kings shorthanded on Saturday night time at Crypto.com Arena.
And it was a self-inflicted loss.
B’s coach Jim Montgomery knowledgeable reporters in LA after the morning skate that winger Jake DeBrusk was late for a workforce assembly and that he can be a wholesome scratch in opposition to the Kings, the B’s hardest opponent up to now on this younger season.
“That’s why he’s out of the lineup,” stated Montgomery.
This absolutely is just not the way in which DeBrusk had wished to begin what might be a very powerful season of his profession from a private standpoint. He is within the ultimate yr of his two-year contact that pays him $4 million a season and, in his first crack at unrestricted free company, he seems at the least to be in place to take a large step up in play.
Last season, he matched a career-high of 27 targets regardless of lacking a month of the season with a damaged leg. He’s additionally change into a extra full participant within the final couple of of years, now taking part in an everyday function on the penalty kill unit.
The PK has gone 13-for-13 to begin the season, however DeBrusk has not but been in a position to get on the scoreboard.
This is just not the primary time that the 27-year-old DeBrusk has made information off the ice. He had butted heads with former coach Bruce Cassidy on and off all through his younger profession and, two seasons in the past, his commerce request grew to become public. But the B’s held on to him, DeBrusk’s sport gained some consistency and he appeared to have turned a nook below Montgomery.
Perhaps this can be a one-time blip and it may be put within the rear view mirror shortly, however it bears watching.
While DeBrusk’s scratch made room for Patrick Brown to make his Bruin debut – he skated with John Beecher and Jakub Lauko within the morning skate – whereas veteran Milan Lucic bumped as much as the primary line to skate with Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak.
“I give him credit. He looks really good,” stated Montgomery. “He’s making plays. He’s holding players accountable for how we want to play on the bench as far as his leadership and his words. And I think he’s looked good skating-wise. He’s on top of pucks, he’s winning foot-races, which is a credit to him because he’s come here and he’s assimilated to how we want to play and he’s playing fast.”
Montgomery additionally used the primary half of the back-to-back to present defenseman Ian Mitchell his Bruin debut in Kevin Shattenkirk’s spot.
“He’s played very aggressive. I’ve liked his skating and his puck management and someone who had a really good camp, so we’re excited to see him play,” stated Montgomery of Mitchell.
Source: www.bostonherald.com