New Jersey Devils: Jesper Bratt Should Be On First Line
With so many injuries, the New Jersey Devils were forced to try out new players on the first line. One player who should stick is Jesper Bratt.
The New Jersey Devils are getting fully healthy for the first time this season. From day one, the forward group was missing at least one player every single night. Whether it was starting the season without Travis Zajac and Brian Boyle or multiple in-season injuries to Kyle Palmieri and Marcus Johansson, never at any point was this team 100 percent.
That’s about to change Thursday night. Marcus Johansson is just about ready to return. Coming out of Monday night, he was the last forward to come back from injury.
The injuries forced head coach John Hynes to change his lines on almost a nightly basis. Everyone from Pavel Zacha to Drew Stafford to Adam Henrique (sad) have been given time on the top line. Kyle Palmieri was obviously slotted to play there alongside Taylor Hall, but his injuries forced some changes.
In those changes, Jesper Bratt stepped up huge. He’s developed instant chemistry with Hall and Nico Hischier. Bratt came into the offseason with little to no expectations, and he ended up being the Devils best fit as top line right wing.
I love Palmieri, and I think he would be fine on the top line. However, I think he is a better fit with players like Zacha and Miles Wood than Bratt. Placing Bratt on the top line actually gives them a better lineup.
Bratt has three games in December where he scored multiple points. He’s been out of his mind this month after cooling off in November. Most of that time was spent on the Devils top line. Clearly, he plays better when he’s spending time alongside Hall and Hischier.
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Sure, most players would be better playing next to those two, but Bratt stepped it up another level.
There is no reason for Bratt to find a place anywhere else in the lineup. It seems sometimes Hynes ends up shooting himself in the foot with his lineup changes. He should not do that here. The easy choice is right in front of him. Keep the Hall-Hischier-Bratt line together.