The Vancouver Canucks are ready to get the regular season underway.
They’ve put in the work throughout the offseason and training camp, applying systems and strategy in the preseason and preparing for the real thing.
“I’m ready to get going, I want to play. I want score, I want to celly and score,” said Jake DeBrusk.
Playing a fast, aggressive, and hungry brand of hockey is something the team wants to establish this season, and they’ve worked to adapt to different styles of play. DeBrusk said it felt like they were able to reinforce everything they learned through training camp with the team building toward a common goal.
“Lots of people like saying ‘identity’, but it's more so just the way we want to play, what Footey wants us to be as a group, and it's buying in – you've got to buy into it,” DeBrusk said.
When you buy in, you oftentimes get rewarded and when the Canucks focused on playing their game in preseason, they found success.
DeBrusk played in three preseason games alongside his linemates, Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser. By the third game, he felt like they were playing the way they wanted to, and they will build on that as the season goes along.
The trio has a lot of zip in practice, and DeBrusk says the more reps they get together, the more instinctual the timing of their play will be. DeBrusk has been impressed with his linemates’ pace early on.
“Brock is looking really fast, he looks really good. Petey's been better [than last season]. Obviously, he's been doing things that he does, he’s been holding on to pucks and trying stuff a little more. Everyone loves to notice the shots and everything, but just day-to-day, he's come to play. So, I just need to do my job. I need to be fast. Honestly, I think the best thing I can do to help the line is getting pucks on the forecheck,” DeBrusk said.
The 28-year-old winger has also been focused on improving his reads when pucks are going in the rush and getting up the rush and to the net.
“I think that we can all complement each other. I'm probably going to be the guy getting in the corners and digging it out for them. I think if I can give those guys more looks and more opportunities to make their plays with Quinn [Hughes] and just go to the front of the net, I think that will be a recipe for success,” he said.
Being adaptable to different styles of play is something DeBrusk embraces.
“There's lots of different teams that have different weapons and different strengths,” DeBrusk said. “Overall, with the D joining the rush and us always having to be back puts more responsibilities on the forwards. For me personally, I've enjoyed it.”
As the team turns its focus to opening night, DeBrusk is taking the next few days to take care of his body and mind, working through practices and workouts day-to-day routine so he’s ready for Thursday. His family will be in town for the home opener – which means a little prep off the ice, too.
“I'm looking forward to just relaxing, taking care of the body, getting the mind right, and doing some chores,” DeBrusk said.
