Bruins Jake DeBrusk “Feeling Good”

Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk is expected to be back in the lineup tomorrow night. The club travels to New Jersey to take on the Devils. Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy told the media on Monday afternoon that he expects both DeBrusk and Brett Ritchie to return to the lineup on Tuesday. DeBrusk has not played since November 5th at Montreal with a lower-body injury,

“Feeling good, feeling pretty close to game ready,” DeBrusk said in the locker room at Warrior Ice Arena after practice. “First practice with the boys and just nice to be back on the ice. Felt pretty good out there, looking upwards.” DeBrusk has appeared in 15 games this season, scoring just three goals.

“It’s been tough watching these games,” DeBrusk admitted. “Ever since I’ve been out its been hard to watch, but in saying that the boys have been battling and I just wanna go back out on the ice as fast as possible.” It was even harder for DeBrusk, who finally was starting to click offensively before his injury in Montreal.

“Yes and no,” DeBrusk replied when asked if his injury came at an especially tough time. “I think I scored back-to-back games before Montreal and got hurt in my second shift [in Montreal]. Still thought my game was alright though. That’s why I continued. But in saying that yeah, I mean you look at different things and injuries are all mental I feel like. I’ve kinda had different things but this is my first time going through something like this.

“I used it as a time to reflect on certain things. Kinda rejuvenate myself in a way,” DeBrusk responded when asked what the time away from the ice was like.

Jake DeBrusk skated on the Bruins third line with Par Lindholm and Brett Ritchie at practice. The Bruins lineup is in flux as a number of players, including Patrice Bergeron, will be game-time decisions on Tuesday.