Jake DeBrusk remained optimistic throughout last season that a deal would get done to keep him with the Boston Bruins for the future.
After the two sides couldn’t come to a contract agreement, DeBrusk, who the Bruins drafted 14th overall in 2015, tested free agency waters for the first time in his career. And it led him to the Vancouver Canucks on Monday.
DeBrusk signed a seven-year deal worth $5.5 million annually on the first day of free agency and opened up about his experience in free agency that caused him to leave the Bruins and join the Canucks.
“It’s been a crazy process, obviously, free agency and going through it for the first time,” DeBrusk told reporters, per team-provided video. “But in saying that, in terms of obviously being in Vancouver, they were very aggressive. I knew I had a really good feeling about them. We were talking and things of that nature and things were looking like they were going to hopefully go in the right direction.
“It’s funny, I woke up pretty early today and felt like a pretty normal day and then as soon as I kind of got the confirmation that I was coming here, I’ve been overwhelmed throughout the whole day. It’s been really exciting and it’s something I just can’t wait to get to the city and I can’t wait to get started. I feel very lucky and honored to become a Vancouver Canuck.”
