LOS ANGELES — Jake DeBrusk is in a contract year. He has no points through three games.
Being scratched against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday is not helping his long-term cause.
DeBrusk was late to a team meeting, according to Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery. Montgomery did not say when the meeting took place. The Bruins had Friday off in Los Angeles following their 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.
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On Thursday, while speaking on another matter, DeBrusk estimated he falls asleep at 2 a.m. after a game. On non-game nights, DeBrusk said he goes to bed around midnight.
“I’m a night hawk in general,” said DeBrusk. “I stay up later probably than most guys. Not necessarily because I have a hard time falling asleep. But I’m just wired that way. Mornings, it takes me a little bit to get going.”
The 27-year-old started the season as the No. 2 right wing next to Brad Marchand and Charlie Coyle. By Game 3 against the Sharks, DeBrusk was the No. 1 left wing alongside Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle. During Thursday’s game, Montgomery moved DeBrusk down with Matt Poitras and Morgan Geekie on the third line.
DeBrusk entered Saturday averaging 17:39 of ice time per game, fourth-highest among team forwards. He was also No. 4 on the penalty kill (2:34). DeBrusk was averaging 1:49 of action on the power play, where he was working the net front and goal line on the No. 2 unit.
Montgomery had planned to deploy DeBrusk as the No. 1 left wing against the Kings. Montgomery replaced DeBrusk with Milan Lucic, who had been playing on the fourth line. Lucic was also in DeBrusk’s net-front spot on PP2.
Jakub Lauko, the No. 4 right wing, went to the left side. Patrick Brown, a healthy scratch for the first three games, was scheduled to make his team debut as the No. 4 right wing.
No points, no problem for Zacha
Zacha, the top-line center, has zero points through three games. It’s not indicative of how he has played.
Zacha is averaging 17:46 of ice time per game, No. 2 among team forwards. At five-on-five, the Bruins are outshooting opponents by a 21-9 margin with Zacha on the ice, per Natural Stat Trick. Zacha’s 70 percent shots-for share trails only Pastrnak (73.81), who has a team-high four goals.
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Zacha has played with pace. He’s controlled the puck in center ice. He’s been thorough defensively. Montgomery’s only gripe is that he has only eight shots.
“I’m actually surprised,” Montgomery said of Zacha’s no-points start. “I just watched the film back and I watch him from behind the bench. I’m really happy with Pavel’s play. I’m not concerned. The points will come. Because he’s playing hard. He’s playing 200-foot hockey for us. I think he can be a little more selfish and shoot more pucks.”
L.A. love for Lucic
Los Angeles treated Lucic well. Upon arriving from Boston in 2015, the left wing scored 20 goals and 35 assists in 81 games for the Kings. It landed him a seven-year, $42 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers.
Lucic fit in just right with the rowdy Kings, whose core had won two Stanley Cups.
“You look back at teams that were really, really good and never did anything, that was probably one of the best teams I was on,” said Lucic of the 2015-16 Kings, who lost to the Sharks in Round 1. “We had (Anze) Kopitar, (Jeff) Carter and (Vincent) Lecavalier as our 1-2-3 down at center. (Tyler) Toffoli was a 30-goal scorer. You had myself, (Marian) Gaborik, (Tanner) Pearson. (Drew) Doughty won the Norris. (Jonathan) Quick had a 40-win season. All the pieces were there to do something. But we ran into a hot San Jose team right off the start, and they kicked our ass in five games and went all the way to the Stanley Cup Final.”
Los Angeles was friendly to a 19-year-old Lucic too. On Oct. 12, 2007, Lucic recorded a Gordie Howe hat trick in the Bruins’ 8-6 road win over the Kings.
It was Lucic’s fourth NHL game. Management had yet to decide whether to keep Lucic or return him to junior. Saying yes to Raitis Ivanans, one of the league’s tougher fighters at the time, helped Lucic convince his bosses he was ready for the NHL.
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“As a 19-year-old, taking on a legit heavyweight like Ivanans, that was a confidence builder for me to show that I can hold my own against a guy like that,” said Lucic, smiling at the memory. “I think he was like 240, 250 (pounds) at the time. It’s always been a special place for me because of that game.”
Mitchell in
Ian Mitchell was set to make his team debut on Saturday. Mitchell, acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in the Taylor Hall trade, displaced Jakub Zboril as the No. 7 defenseman after a strong camp.
Mitchell replaced Kevin Shattenkirk on the No. 3 pairing next to ex-King Derek Forbort during Saturday’s morning skate.
“Played very aggressive,” Montgomery said of Mitchell in the preseason. “Liked his skating. Liked his puck management. Someone that had a really good camp.”
(Photo of Jake DeBrusk: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
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