Former Bruins forward shares heartfelt message following…

Jake DeBrusk will embark on a new chapter in his NHL career after signing a seven-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks on the first day of free agency.

After being picked in the first round by Boston in 2015, the forward spent his first seven seasons with the Bruins.

On Tuesday, DeBrusk took to Instagram to say goodbye to the team that gave him a shot and the fans he played in front of for years.

“Thank you! Thank you very much! Thank you to everyone I’ve met and had the privilege of getting to know over the last seven years in the black and gold,” DeBrusk captioned the photo from the 2023 Winter Classic at Fenway. “There will always be a place in my heart for Boston, thanks to my teammates and the fans who have supported me since the beginning!” In saying that, I am very excited to begin this new chapter in my career, to be in Vancouver, and to put on the Canucks jersey! #Itsshowtime #Cheers.”

DeBrusk’s career in Boston ended after a streaky regular season, but he was probably the team’s best forward through two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs before being eliminated by the Florida Panthers. He said he was astonished the two parties couldn’t reach an agreement during the season.

General manager Don Sweeney stated that while the organization would want to have DeBrusk back, “negotiations are a two-way street.”

DeBrusk’s stint with the Bruins was not always ideal. He requested a transfer in 2021, but Boston never found a suitable partner. Instead, they signed him to a two-year extension just before the deadline. Following the Bruins’ elimination from the playoffs in June 2022, coach Bruce Cassidy was dismissed, and DeBrusk retracted his trade request before the season began.

While DeBrusk neither acknowledged or denied that Cassidy’s departure had anything to do with him staying in Boston, he did add that after speaking with his teammates, it was an easy decision to stay.

But there were plenty of times when DeBrusk shone for Boston, such as in the Winter Classic, when he scored two goals, including the game-winner, in the Bruins’ comeback victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

DeBrusk is looking forward to his fresh start in Vancouver.