Sounds like Jake DeBrusk is ready to move on from Vancouver Canucks but where could he go?
This isn’t what Jake DeBrusk signed up for.
On July 1, 2024, the Edmonton, Alberta, native signed a seven-year contract worth $5.5 million per season.
At the time, the Vancouver Canucks looked like a team on the rise.
Instead, they’ve sunk to the bottom of the NHL standings.
That’s not a place that DeBrusk is accustomed to.
So, is the guy who spent his entire career playing playoff hockey before coming to Vancouver willing to embrace the rebuild?
āI think a rebuild is hard for every player,” DeBrusk told Ben Kuzma of The Province.
“Obviously, that [rebuild] is not something I would be okay with or accepting,” he said. “My game doesnāt fit that.ā
During his first seven NHL seasons, the 29-year-old participated in the playoffs every year. Not only that, but he was effective.
DeBrusk scored two goals in a Game 7 during his first NHL season back in 2018 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, which included the series-clinching goal.
Then, during his last postseason trip in 2023-24, DeBrusk led the Bruins with 11 points in 13 games.
He’s stepped up in the playoffs. But getting back there with the Canucks anytime soon seems like a foreign thought.
It’s no surprise that DeBrusk would want to play elsewhere, but which teams might actually step up to try to acquire him?
According to some, there aren’t many interested suitors.
Hasnāt asked out yet. Thought around him is heās very open to a move. Donāt believe there has been as many calls as people might think on Jake. Feel like a lot of their business will come down to Friday. Teams arenāt lining up for Canucks players right now. https://t.co/pHEOqtOHrw
— Irfaan Gaffar (@irfgaffar) March 3, 2026
The Edmonton Oilers have been rumoured to be a potential destination for DeBrusk. Surely, the Canucks winger would embrace that, considering that’s his hometown, his dad is a colour commentator for the Oilers, and they have a chance at winning a Stanley Cup.
However, the fit doesn’t seem great.
DeBrusk can aid a team most on the power play. His 25 power play goals over the last two seasons rank fifth overall in the NHL.
The Oilers don’t need DeBrusk on the power play. They lead the league right now with a 32.7 per cent success rate with the man advantage. Zach Hyman also occupies the DeBrusk net-front role in Edmonton.
However, two other Western Conference teams could be a fit.
Although the Colorado Avalanche lead the league with 89 points, they shockingly have the worst power play in the NHL. DeBrusk’s ability to be a net front presence could benefit them.
Colorado may have to part with a player like Victor Olofsson, whose contract expires at the end of this season, to make the numbers work. They have traded all their picks in rounds one through three of the 2026 draft, but they do have two second-round picks in 2027 available.
The Anaheim Ducks are another playoff-bound team that struggles on the man advantage. Perhaps the Canucks could even juice a return by taking on the contract of Ryan Strome, who has one year left on his $5 million per year deal after this season. Strome has just eight points in 32 games this season and recently sat as a healthy scratch for four straight games.
Out east, the resurgent Columbus Blue Jackets could use a power play bump. While they’re not often a prime destination for players, DeBrusk’s old teammate, Charlie Coyle, has been the team’s most productive centre.
Despite a reported lack of interest, there are some teams where DeBrus could conceivably fit.
For DeBrusk’s sake, hopefully the Canucks can find a taker.