Usually, we wait until August to start rolling our predictions out for the upcoming Vancouver Canucks season.

The series has produced such bangers as me predicting Brock Boeser would finally hit 30 goals, Thatcher Demko being a Vezina finalist, Noah Juulsen setting a career-high in games played, and fewer goals for Andrei Kuzmenko. And those were all just last year!

We’re sure to have multiple predictions rolling out this offseason as we look ahead to the 2024-25 Vancouver Canucks season and to kick things off; I need to get right out in front of one off the hop.

We’ve liked the Jake DeBrusk deal from the moment it was signed, and if it goes poorly, we will gladly admit we were wrong about this one.

But as you’ve read plenty over the past couple weeks, DeBrusk sure seems like a perfect fit for Vancouver. His strong game in transition should make him slot in seamlessly with the style that Rick Tocchet wants this team to play, and his forechecking, combined with his ability to play in any situation, makes him one of the most intriguing players signed in free agency so far.

DeBrusk should be a mainstay on the Canucks’ first power play unit at either the net front or bumper position. If he can become even half the trigger man in the bumper spot that Bo Horvat was for the Canucks, DeBrusk should see his goal totals absolutely explode with the Canucks.

DeBrusk has scored 27 goals twice in his career, and typically hovers around the 20-goal mark. That being said, the most power play goals he’s ever scored in a season is eight, and that was way back in 2018-19. He’s bounced between the Bruins’ first and second power play unit throughout his career, but should be able to seamlessly find an important home on the Canucks’ usually-potent first unit.

Down the stretch, it was painfully evident that for the Canucks’ PP to be at it’s best, they needed a legitimate shooting threat in the bumper spot. They also needed that threat to be a left shot in order to get the best out of JT Miller on the half wall. Despite playing the net front for most of his time on an NHL power play, DeBrusk’s offensive IQ and quick release should allow him to learn that spot in short order, which would solve some big problems facing the Canucks’ man-advantage unit.

So, if you’ll allow me to, I’d also be willing to make a second prediction that DeBrusk will score a career-high number of power play goals during his first season with the Canucks.

We’ve focused plenty on the power play, but it’s also a safe bet that the even-strength goal totals will also increase for DeBrusk as well, as the 27-year-old will be playing next to either Elias Pettersson or JT Miller at 5v5. DeBrusk scored 21 even strength goals just two seasons ago, and despite a slight dip to 15 this past season, it’s not going to come as a surprise when DeBrusk shatters his previous goal totals this upcoming season.

We’re not necessarily saying he’s going to have a JT Miller or Zach Hyman-like breakout in Vancouver.

But we’re also not not saying that either.