When the Vancouver Canucks lost J.T. Miller from their lineup on November 19, they knew they needed other players to step up.
Multiple players have elevated their play, which has helped the Canucks pick up points in the absence of their emotional leader, securing four wins in six games since Miller went on leave. Without Miller, the Canucks have leaned on Elias Pettersson as their No. 1 centre and Pius Suter to hold down the No. 2 centre spot. Both players have certainly produced, with Pettersson scoring 10 points (1-9-10) and Suter adding six points (3-3-6) during the six-game span.
But no player has seen a bigger jump in production than Jake DeBrusk.
The Canucks’ marquee free agent signing had a slow start with his new team. He didn’t score his first goal until the 10th game of the season and had a relatively disappointing 10 points, including just three goals, in the first 17 games. Not exactly Loui Eriksson numbers, but you can be excused if you were starting to get nervous about DeBrusk’s seven-year contract.
Because his numbers are looking great now.
DeBrusk has been red-hot of late, with nine points (7-2-9) in his last five games — including a hat trick in Detroit on Sunday. Those points have come as he developed chemistry on a line with Pettersson, as well as regaining his spot on Vancouver’s top power-play unit, as four of his last seven goals were scored with the man advantage.
Overtime winner.
Hat trick goal.IN DEBRUSK WE TRUST. 🫡 pic.twitter.com/9XzfHMk2ou
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) December 1, 2024
DeBrusk came to Vancouver with a reputation as a streaky scorer, but this doesn’t appear to be par for the course for the 28-year-old Edmonton native. It’s still early, but DeBrusk is now on pace for 36 goals and 68 points, well above his career-highs of 27 goals and 50 points. He’s scoring on 21.3% of his shots, which suggests there’s some puck luck at play, but there’s still reason to believe he can be a 30-goal scorer this season.
DeBrusk was brought in to give Pettersson a reliable linemate to play with — something that was missing last season. If those two can keep it up, it’ll provide Vancouver with an enviable one-two punch, with Miller and Brock Boeser forming another duo.