Even during a tough season, Jake DeBrusk is able to find new ways to grow both as a player and as a member of this team.
With how challenging it can be to lose more games than win, DeBrusk has shifted his focus to not just the final result, but the process of the group, the health of the team's culture, and mentoring the youth as they navigate their first seasons in the NHL. Through that, he believes he has not only learned more about his teammates, but about himself as well.
“You try to take lessons, especially for me, going through this for the first time with many other guys,” DeBrusk said. “You learn a lot about yourself with these moments, you learn a lot about your teammates, and I think there’s something that is a positive out of it.”
DeBrusk believes that it is important for veterans to step up in those moments and be a steady presence in the locker room to not only help facilitate a positive environment in the locker room, but also teach them to take advantage of the ice time, and roster spots, while understanding that it won’t always be like this. This ensures that young players are not getting deterred by mistakes made on the ice and gives them leeway to test their skills.
“There’s lessons in every game. For me, not necessarily forget about the year, but to understand that this is not normal, and to focus on yourself and your game, and just try stuff. This is like the open field,” DeBrusk said.
The eagerness to learn and natural excitement that the young players have brought to the group has been a key part of bringing the team together and laying out a new foundation that will continue to grow each season. DeBrusk highlighted how this injection of youth has been beneficial for veteran players as well.
“The new guys coming in, with just their energy, they’re excited, they don’t care where they just got traded, they’re playing in the NHL and they want to win,” DeBrusk said. “Sometimes the basic aspect of that, as you get older, it’s nice to see that again.”
DeBrusk enjoys keeping things light during the season and tries his best to approach each day with a positive attitude, regardless of what the results show on the scoreboard. Especially with the younger players, having moments of fun and humour served as a great bonding tool.
“I feel like you have to have a little bit of fun in there when you earn it,” DeBrusk said. “I try to have a couple inside jokes with every guy, but these young guys are funny.”
There has been a notable shift in the Canucks locker room in the latter half of the season; changes that have slowly begun to reflect on the ice as well. The team has been sticking up for one another and playing hard for each other. DeBrusk has felt that the team's effort in that area has been commendable and emphasizes how it is an important building block of creating a good culture.
“All good teams are tight. All good teams are doing that for each other, and it’s not like you have to go out there and try to kill people or have to fight every single game, but when the situation presents itself, we all saw guys were no hesitation going in,” DeBrusk said.
"It's a lot of respect.”
Listen to this and much more as DeBrusk joins Chris Faber on the latest episode of the Canucks Insider Podcast.
