Round One Discussion - Toronto

Eddie Jurak

canderson-lite
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2002
44,475
Melrose, MA
He's 21, still has plenty of opportunity to become elite. He has a rare skillset and if he continues to develop will be a great player.
Yes. I don't remember his being billed as having the speed and tenacity he has. That was as impressive as the goal scoring.
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,372
Loving some of the young players on the team...

Carlo: 21 (injured obviously right now)
DeBrusk: 21
Donato: 21
Grzelcyk: 24
Heinen: 22
Krug: 26 (is that still "young"?)
Kuraly: 25
McAvoy: 20
Pastrnak: 21

It's a good mix of veterans and kids but some of the kids are pretty special.
 

TSC

SoSH's Doug Neidermeyer
SoSH Member
Oct 25, 2007
12,280
Between here and everywhere.
Yes. I don't remember his being billed as having the speed and tenacity he has. That was as impressive as the goal scoring.
I know we hate to get into the intangible, but the kid just seems to have “it.” When the games got important down the stretch, and in the first round he really seemed to elevate his game.

There were times last night in the 2nd where he literally looked like the only player who could keep up with the intensity of the Leafs.

He may never be an elite offensive player, but SSS says he’s the kind of player that can carry a team on his back when it’s needed.
 

kenneycb

Hates Goose Island Beer; Loves Backdoor Play
SoSH Member
Dec 2, 2006
16,089
Tuukka's refugee camp
I had a similar thought last night. He has the bull in a china shop mentality of Lucic, which is what probably drove the thought but more speed and probably a little less physicality, for better or worse. He still has to develop his scoring touch to become a consistent 25+ goal scorer but he has the tools to get him there.
 

lexrageorge

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2007
18,095
For some (probably wrong) reason DeBrusk reminds me a little of a young Lucic.
Lucic's 2nd season (20 years old): 17 goals, 25 assists, 42 points

DeBrusk this past season (21 y/o rookie): 16 goals, 27 assists, 43 points. Which, btw, is only one less point than Lucic's final season in Boston.

DeBrusk is 21, and so while it's way too early to call him elite, he's made some plays this series that have rightfully caught Neely's eye (Neely's reaction to his goal last night is what I'm referring to). It will be exciting to see where and when he takes his next steps in future seasons.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,047
306, row 14
He’s a power forward and takes the puck to the net like Looch, but DeBrusk is a roughly 47382947494927272 times better skater than Lucic ever was.
 

Smiling Joe Hesketh

Throw Momma From the Train
Moderator
SoSH Member
May 20, 2003
35,719
Deep inside Muppet Labs
So I'm not crazy then. That rush to the net for the goal in the 3rd reminded me of young Lucic, although as pointed out Lucic looked like he was skating on a couple of butterball turkeys.
 

TSC

SoSH's Doug Neidermeyer
SoSH Member
Oct 25, 2007
12,280
Between here and everywhere.
For some (probably wrong) reason DeBrusk reminds me a little of a young Lucic.
I don’t see Lucic. Jake is probably more talented offensively, and doesn’t have nearly the physical game of Lucic.

His scouting profile mentions Corey Perry, and I think that might be an accurate best case scenario for him. Guy who scores goals any number of ways without any one overwheleming skill, and who isn’t afraid to get hit, get dirty, and muck it up when the game calls for it.
 

TFP

Moderator
Moderator
SoSH Member
Dec 10, 2007
20,380
I was discussing this last night, he reminds me of a young Mark Recchi. I doubt he’ll ever have that career, but that’s the style of play he reminds me of. It’s a good comp to have.
 

The Napkin

wise ass al kaprielian
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 13, 2002
28,534
right here
I was discussing this last night, he reminds me of a young Mark Recchi. I doubt he’ll ever have that career, but that’s the style of play he reminds me of. It’s a good comp to have.
and there's that erection again
 

Zososoxfan

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 30, 2009
9,208
South of North
I was discussing this last night, he reminds me of a young Mark Recchi. I doubt he’ll ever have that career, but that’s the style of play he reminds me of. It’s a good comp to have.
Honing his tip skills in front of the net would go a long way towards emulating Recchi's success. Last night being a terrific example.
 

McDrew

Set Adrift on Memory Bliss
SoSH Member
Apr 11, 2006
4,060
Portland, OR
If Lucic was a Mustang GT, DeBrusk is a Model 3. Less of a blunt power machine, but more finesse and smarts to compensate.
 

TFP

Moderator
Moderator
SoSH Member
Dec 10, 2007
20,380
I don’t understand the Lucic comparisons, I really don’t see a similarity between them at all. Lucic was a tall, hulking player who wasn’t a great skater or puck handler but could shoot really well and was a pretty good passer. DeBrusk is smaller, but quick, tenacious, strong on his skates, with a good shot, great hands, and decent passer.

Using just current/former Bruins, DeBrusk comps out to a less skilled Recchi (as I mentioned), early career Marchand (last night’s GWG reminded me of Marchand a lot), or a more skilled Marco Sturm. Guys with lower center of gravity who fly around out there and are hard to separate from the puck and never stop moving.
 
Last edited:

FL4WL3SS

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2006
14,913
Andy Brickley's potty mouth
I don’t understand the Lucic comparisons, I really don’t see a similarity between them at all. Lucic was a fall, hulking player who wasn’t a great skater or puck handler but could shoot really well and was a pretty good passer. DeBrusk is smaller, but quick, tenacious, strong on his skates, with a good shot, great hands, and decent passer.

Using just current/former Bruins, DeBrusk comps out to a less skilled Recchi (as I mentioned), early career Marchand (last night’s GWG reminded me of Marchand a lot), or a more skilled Marco Sturm. Guys with lower center of gravity who fly around out there and are hard to separate from the puck and never stop moving.
The way he carries himself on the ice is very much Lucic, but you're spot on, they don't have the same skillset at all.
 

Smiling Joe Hesketh

Throw Momma From the Train
Moderator
SoSH Member
May 20, 2003
35,719
Deep inside Muppet Labs
The way he carries himself on the ice is very much Lucic, but you're spot on, they don't have the same skillset at all.
This.

The power drive to the net last night while crashing into the boards reminded my very much of Lucic back in his younger days. He's not quite as big, but he's got that same presence about him.
 

TFP

Moderator
Moderator
SoSH Member
Dec 10, 2007
20,380
See, last night’s goal reminded me way more of this goal than anything. Lucic would never get up to top speed like that or make that little self pass under the stick.

 

kenneycb

Hates Goose Island Beer; Loves Backdoor Play
SoSH Member
Dec 2, 2006
16,089
Tuukka's refugee camp
I was trying to figure out what the move reminded me of and I think it actually was the Recchi play during Game 7 against the Canucks when he almost scored. Not the same exact but he blows by his guy on the backhand, gets ready to absorb contact, does a little self-pass to himself, and gets his stick on it. At about 5:10 of the clip below.

Also, apologies for ruining 15-30 minutes of a lot of your production.

 

reggiecleveland

sublime
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Mar 5, 2004
27,957
Saskatoon Canada
I don’t understand the Lucic comparisons, I really don’t see a similarity between them at all. Lucic was a tall, hulking player who wasn’t a great skater or puck handler but could shoot really well and was a pretty good passer.
The goal he scored reminded many of us of Lucic, driving the nets in playoff game. Part of it, I expect , is the connection to guy that was on cup winning team, and our subconscious hope that's where we are going again.

Perhaps it is fair to say that GWG was a lot like Lucic.
 

Red Right Ankle

Formerly the Story of Your Red Right Ankle
SoSH Member
Jul 2, 2006
11,937
Multivac
I was discussing this last night, he reminds me of a young Mark Recchi. I doubt he’ll ever have that career, but that’s the style of play he reminds me of. It’s a good comp to have.
Oh, you doubt he'll have the career of a guy who scored almost 600 goals? ;)

Anyways, he definitely does have that same ability to use his body to protect the puck and willingness to drive the net or get in front and take punishment to get rebounds. Corey Perry is definitely a good best case - 30 goals per year mostly coming from between the circles.
 

FL4WL3SS

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2006
14,913
Andy Brickley's potty mouth
I was trying to figure out what the move reminded me of and I think it actually was the Recchi play during Game 7 against the Canucks when he almost scored. Not the same exact but he blows by his guy on the backhand, gets ready to absorb contact, does a little self-pass to himself, and gets his stick on it. At about 5:10 of the clip below.

Also, apologies for ruining 15-30 minutes of a lot of your production.

Fuck man, I forgot how much I loved Recchi. I could watch that guy play hockey all day.
 

TFP

Moderator
Moderator
SoSH Member
Dec 10, 2007
20,380
I was trying to figure out what the move reminded me of and I think it actually was the Recchi play during Game 7 against the Canucks when he almost scored. Not the same exact but he blows by his guy on the backhand, gets ready to absorb contact, does a little self-pass to himself, and gets his stick on it. At about 5:10 of the clip below.

Also, apologies for ruining 15-30 minutes of a lot of your production.

Thank you. This is perfect. I remember when that happened it looked like a 28 year old Recchi again for one play. Great call.
 

Eddie Jurak

canderson-lite
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2002
44,475
Melrose, MA
Based on those clips, he looks faster than Recchi (though I'm not sure what Recchi was like ealier in his career), less skilled and elusive than Marchand. Great guy to have on the team as a 21 year old.
 

Jed Zeppelin

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 23, 2008
51,289
I was discussing this last night, he reminds me of a young Mark Recchi. I doubt he’ll ever have that career, but that’s the style of play he reminds me of. It’s a good comp to have.
I haven’t stopped thinking about this comparison all series. Every one of his balls to the wall one man rushes (the goal last night, the feed that Krejci couldn’t finish earlier in the series, etc) reminded me of Old Man Recchi’s rush in game 7 against Vancouver that all of us still remember despite it not resulting in a goal.

Edit: Damn it, kenney beat me to it.