The Vancouver Canucks addressed a significant need by signing winger Jake DeBrusk in free agency. The nearly $40 million deal is the largest made by the Canucks this summer.

The 27-year-old DeBrusk, in a recent appearance on the Cam & Strick Podcast, gave an inside look at his free agency experience. “I was pretty calm, although I knew Vancouver had reached out and were frontrunners going into free agency. The night before, I actually felt pretty calm, though there was some nervousness. After the fact, it was stressful with so many messages and lots of love and support, which helped calm me,” DeBrusk said. He described the experience as overwhelming, especially trying to respond to everyone who reached out to him.

DeBrusk mentioned that he received several offers from different teams, but Vancouver’s proposal stood out. “Honestly, no, I didn’t have too many guys call me. A couple of guys tried to reach out, but nothing in terms of power play or things like that. There were a lot of offers, though, from different teams, varying in terms of years and conditions. Vancouver hit everything on the head. My gut was telling me Vancouver, and it was one of those things where you try to weigh everything. You don’t want to doubt yourself, but I am very grateful it worked out this way,” he explained.

The Canucks’ acquisition of DeBrusk is expected to have a significant impact on the team’s performance. The forward noted that Vancouver’s recent playoff performance influenced his decision. “The main thing I looked at with their team is they obviously took a huge step last year in terms of the playoffs. They lost in seven to Edmonton, and who knows if that could have gone differently? I have a great opportunity to play with some really good players on a good team, and it’s close to home. It felt like a good fit, and I can come in and do what I do best,” DeBrusk said.

DeBrusk acknowledged that playing in a Canadian market comes with unique challenges and rewards. “Yeah, I know I’m excited for that. I mean, I feel like Boston, with its unbelievable fans and being an Original Six team, is a different animal. They felt similar to Canadians in some ways. For myself, I was a pretty polarizing player in Boston, and there were times when I faced a lot of heat. That experience has given me good preparation for going into Vancouver,” he noted.

DeBrusk is enthusiastic about Vancouver’s passionate fan base and is looking forward to the playoff atmosphere in Canada. “I’m excited to hear that crowd roar, and that’s one of the main reasons why I joined up,” he added.

DeBrusk also spoke highly of his future teammates, particularly JT Miller. “I remember when we played in Tampa Bay, I felt the same way before he was heading to Vancouver. I remember thinking the same thing because we played against JT Miller in my first year, and he just dominated us a couple of times in big moments. He’s probably one of the most underrated players, especially since you don’t hear much about him in the East. But then you look at his stats — 100 points, so many goals — and when you play against him, you see he’s a very good player,” DeBrusk said.

DeBrusk also touched on his conversation with Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet, which left him optimistic about his role on the team. “We talked just after I signed, and he asked me about the guys we had signed from Boston as well. He’s known for setting expectations, and I know he was super pumped and excited about what I can bring to the team. He talked about how I play, how he wants the team to play, and gave me a little rundown of what to expect coming into camp in terms of training and things like that. It was a really good talk, honestly. He seemed really excited, and I’m really excited too,” DeBrusk recalled. He is eager to contribute to the team’s success and help elevate the Canucks to the next level.