In the summer of 2024, the Vancouver Canucks were coming off a fantastic season where they finished first in the Pacific Division with a record of 50-23-9. They didn’t make it far in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, falling short against the rival Edmonton Oilers in the second round, and with the team trying to push to go all in, they signed veteran winger Jake DeBrusk.
On paper, the Edmonton native was a perfect fit for the Canucks, and after he inked the seven-year, $38.5 million deal, fans became truly optimistic about the future. Unfortunately, things have fallen apart since that point, with the team finishing 32nd in the league standings in 2025/26, truly committing to a rebuild with the new front office of Henrik & Daniel Sedin alongside Ryan Johnson as General Manager.
Jake DeBrusk Linked to the Ottawa Senators as a Key Trade Target
GettyVANCOUVER, CANADA – NOVEMBER 11: Jake DeBrusk #74 of the Vancouver Canucks celebrates after scoring a goal as teammates Brock Boeser #6 and Quinn Hughes #43 join the celebration during the first period of NHL action against the Winnipeg Jets at Rogers Arena on November 11, 2025 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)
Obviously, that’s not what DeBrusk signed up for, and with five years remaining on his contract, he’s often been called one of the top trade pieces in the National Hockey League heading into this off-season. We’ve already seen him linked to the New York Rangers, and now, there’s another team in the East that’s interested in the supremely talented 29-year-old winger.
According to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen, two sources within the league have revealed to the publication that they believe the Ottawa Senators are one of a handful of teams that have interest in DeBrusk. This interest makes perfect sense, as the team are looking to get tougher and more experienced in their top-six alongside the core of Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk and Drake Batherson.
Is Jake DeBrusk a Good fit for the Ottawa Senators?
While DeBrusk isn’t a superstar forward like other players potentially available via free agency or trade, he’s been very consistent in his career, averaging 24 goals a season dating back to the 2021/22 season with the Boston Bruins. Despite signing on for seven years in Vancouver, DeBrusk didn’t know he would be getting into a rebuild, and while that’s fine for younger players, for a 29-year-old without a deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Canucks clearly aren’t the ideal home moving forward.
Right now, he’s drawing significant interest as a trade target, and with both New York and Ottawa in the mix among other teams, the rebuilding Canucks could net themselves a massive return for the veteran forward if they play their cards right in the coming weeks and months. With more than two teams interested, using recent comparables, we could be looking at a third or even a second-round draft pick moved for a player that has over 20 goals four times in the last five seasons, and for a Canucks team looking towards the future, that’s a deal they would love to make happen.
Canadian Team Linked to Veteran Forward Jake DeBrusk