Forward Jake DeBrusk has not yet missed a game since signing with the Canucks prior to last season, but he will be scratched tonight against the Seattle Kraken.
Regarding DeBrusk, Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote said “He has been a little bit stale as far as chances five on five, I think it’s going to be a good reset for him.”
DeBrusk is averaging a career high in minutes at 17:40 per game in 37 games so far this season. The forward has nine goals and eight assists, with eight of those goals coming on the power play, as he has seen consistent top unit power play time as he leads he Canucks in total power play time on ice this season at 127 minutes.
Five on five has been a different story for DeBrusk, as he has played on many different lines with many different line mates, from Elias Pettersson to Aatu Räty, and has done so playing both left and right wing.
What is going on with DeBrusk?
For DeBrusk, it seems like puck luck could be the issue for the time being. Despite DeBrusk’s robust power play role and time, his Corsi For % has only dropped by 1.6% from last year at even strength, and he is continuing to start play in the offensive zone much more than in the defensive zone.
DeBrusk’s problem seems to be his shooting percentage, or lack thereof. DeBrusk is currently shooting at a 8.9% rate, the second worst of his career and well below his 12.7% career mark, and almost half of his 16.4% percent from last year.
The strange part is that DeBrusk’s high danger shots per game has seen an increase from 1.08 per game last season to 1.59 per game this season, and he is averaging the second most shots on goal per game of his career at 2.73 per game.
DeBrusk should eventually see a turnaround in his luck, especially given the rate at which his role and chances have increased. The winger could also be the beneficiary of having Elias Pettersson, Marco Rossi and Filip Chyil all back in the lineup up the middle, as a puck driving centre is exactly what the speedy winger needs in order to be successful.