Report: Asking price for DeBrusk leaked by NHL insider Elliotte Friedman

It's been over a week now since Boston Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk's trade request has been made public and there have been few reports on a potential deal. Despite the fact that DeBrusk has asked out and team President Cam Neely has more or less admitted that there's no future for DeBrusk in Boston, the player remains on the trade market.

Sportsnet NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reports that Bruins GM Don Sweeney is seeking an established forward or defenseman in exchange for DeBrusk. 

From Friedman's latest "32 Thoughts" column:

18. Boston is definitely willing to do a Jake DeBrusk deal, but on its terms. They are looking for the best defenceman/forward they can find, and are unafraid to take a chance on a younger player. But they are telling potential partners that they value DeBrusk, and won’t make what they feel is a bad deal because the trade request is now public.

- Elliotte Friedman

Am I crazy in thinking that the Bruins shouldn't be so particular in their demands? 

While I like DeBrusk on paper, he's clearly in need of a change of scenery and even at his peak a couple years back I'm not sure he's worth much more than a draft pick on the trade market. The 25 year old former 14th overall pick (2015 NHL Entry Draft) has just four goals and seven points in 20 games so far this season and managed just five goals and 14 points in 41 games last season. He's not exactly filling the net on a regular basis and he doesn't offer much in terms of penalty killing ability or leadership intangibles either. 

Frankly, if Sweeney gets anything close to an NHL level player in an offer for DeBrusk he should take it and run before he's arrested for burglary. Again, that's not meant to disparage DeBrusk at all, it's just that his value is at an all-time low. He's not scoring and he wants out of town... there's not a lot of leverage there for Sweeney in trade talks. The longer things drag on, the more I see the Bruins recouping a mid to late round draft pick or two in exchange for DeBrusk.