Bratt is Staying in Jersey

Eight more years of Jesper Bratt!

The Devils forward signed a new contract today to continue his career with New Jersey. Let's take a look at the first six years of his NHL career in the Garden State with this edition of Three Things presented by GEICO.

1. Made in Jersey

Ask any NHL General Manager, scout, or coach, the goal of every draft is to find a top talent in the later rounds. The Devils did just that when they drafted Jesper Bratt with their sixth round pick in the 2016 Draft. Bratt played one more season in Sweden before signing with the Devils and heading to North America. He made the Devils opening night roster for the 2017-18 season out of training camp and never looked back. Bratt scored and had an assist in his NHL debut on Oct. 7 against the Colorado Avalanche.

If you're thinking it was beginners luck, you would be wrong. In his second ever NHL game just two nights later, Bratt scored twice and had a helper for three points. Five points through two games? Pretty strong start for the rookie. He went on to play 74 games in his freshman season where he scored 13 goals and had 22 assists for 35 points. With 12 power play points, including four goals, Bratt started to show some of the skills the Devils would rely upon in the future.

2. The Next Level

Bratt became more of a household name during the 2021-22 season due to his strong play. The forward had 26 goals, 47 assists for 73 points. Although those numbers seem on par with top-6 forwards in the NHL, they were quite the jump from his previous seasons.

The 2021-22 campaign was the first time Bratt had over 20 goals in a season and his 26 goals were 10 more goals than his previous career-high in 2019-20. His 47 assists were 22 more than the 2018-19 season where he had set his most to date. With new career-highs in goals and assists it's safe to assume he set a new high with points as well. His 73 points were 38 more than his rookie season where he set his points career-high.

The Swedish forward showed off his smooth skills all season long with the league and its fans noticing. One of his most impressive from the season was his 20th of the year, a game tying goal in Edmonton against the Oilers.

3. Last Season's Success

The 2022-23 season was another strong year for Bratt. It was the first time he played all 82 games in his six seasons and he helped the Devils return to the post-season for the first time since his rookie year. Bratt's 32 goals were a new career-high and the first time he's scored over 30 in a season. He tied his previous career high in points (73) from the 2021-22 season and Bratt continued to contribute heavily on the power play with 22 points, eight of which were goals.

One of the most impressive parts of Bratt's season was the start when he kicked off the year with an 11 game points streak, contributing 17 points (5 G, 12 A). Another was his first career hat trick on Mar. 19 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

From 162nd overall draft pick to one of the top forwards on the New Jersey Devils, it's been quite a few years for Bratt. With eight more years in Jersey there are plenty of exciting moments to come!