# Louie DeBrusk

Louis Dennis DeBrusk (born March 19, 1971) is a Canadian sports analyst and former professional ice hockey player. He is currently a colour commentator for Edmonton Oilers broadcasts on Sportsnet and the late game of Hockey Night in Canada.

## Playing career

DeBrusk was raised in Port Elgin, Ontario, and played junior hockey with the Port Elgin Bears and Stratford Cullitons before joining the London Knights.
Drafted by the New York Rangers in the third round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, DeBrusk never appeared in a game for the club as he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers on October 4, 1991, in a package with Bernie Nicholls and Steven Rice for Mark Messier. DeBrusk joined the Tampa Bay Lightning as a free agent on August 27, 1997, to replace 'tough' players Rudy Poeschek and Brantt Myhres when he signed a two-year, two-way deal worth about $750,000, with the second year at the Lightning's option, before being traded to the Phoenix Coyotes on June 11, 1998, along with a 5th round pick in the 1998 for Craig Janney. Debrusk, an impending restricted free agent, was resigned by the Coyotes on August 10, 1998. On August 30, 2002, by this time again an unrestricted free agent, Debrusk signed a contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. He last appeared in a professional hockey game during the 2003–04 AHL season. Altogether, Debrusk played 401 National Hockey League games.
DeBrusk was known for his fighting skills and racked up 1,161 penalty minutes over the course of his NHL career.
He was inducted to his hometown Cambridge's Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.

## Broadcasting career

Debrusk is the main colour analyst on the late game of Hockey Night in Canada. He previously worked as the colour commentator for the Phoenix Coyotes radio broadcasts. On September 2, 2008, DeBrusk was announced as the new colour commentator for NHL on Sportsnet Edmonton Oilers television broadcasts, replacing former analyst Ray Ferraro. He was replaced by Drew Remenda in 2014 but continued as an analyst, before rejoining the team as a colour commentator for the 2018–19 season and full-time two years later, alongside announcer Jack Michaels.

## Personal life

DeBrusk's son Jake also plays in the NHL currently for the Vancouver Canucks. He was ranked the 24th-best player available in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by NHL Central Scouting, and subsequently selected 14th overall that year by the Boston Bruins.

## Career statistics

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1987–88 | Stratford Cullitons | MWJHL | 45 | 13 | 14 | 27 | 205 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1988–89 | London Knights | OHL | 59 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 149 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 43 |
| 1989–90 | London Knights | OHL | 61 | 21 | 19 | 40 | 198 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 24 |
| 1990–91 | London Knights | OHL | 61 | 31 | 33 | 64 | 223 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 14 |
| 1990–91 | Binghamton Rangers | AHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 1991–92 | Cape Breton Oilers | AHL | 28 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 73 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1991–92 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 25 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 124 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1992–93 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 51 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 205 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1993–94 | Cape Breton Oilers | AHL | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 73 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1993–94 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 48 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 185 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1994–95 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 34 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 93 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1995–96 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 38 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 96 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1996–97 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 32 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 94 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 1997–98 | San Antonio Dragons | IHL | 17 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 130 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997–98 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 54 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 166 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1998–99 | Las Vegas Thunder | IHL | 26 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 160 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1998–99 | Long Beach Ice Dogs | IHL | 24 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 134 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1998–99 | Springfield Falcons | AHL | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1998–99 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| 1999–00 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 61 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 78 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000–01 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 39 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 79 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | Quebec Citadelles | AHL | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 20 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 42 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 30 |
| 2002–03 | Norfolk Admirals | AHL | 20 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002–03 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| AHL totals | AHL totals | AHL totals | 99 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 246 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 39 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 401 | 24 | 17 | 41 | 1161 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 10 |