New Jersey Devils: Who Leaves Lineup When Jesper Bratt Returns?
The New Jersey Devils are going to have a problem in about a week or two, when Jesper Bratt returns to the lineup. The Devils have been so good thus far, who could possibly be taken out of the lineup?
This is something we like to call a good problem. Yes, a good problem is the definition of an oxymoron, but it works in this situation. The New Jersey Devils are flying high. They are winners of four straight games to start the season. This isn’t winning on the back of Taylor Hall, like we figured would happen. Hall actually has zero goals to start. This is due to a total team effort over four great games.
These total team efforts make you think of the decision head coach John Hynes has to make in a week or two. Jesper Bratt is nearing his return, but where does he fit in the lineup right now? Better question: who do the Devils take out of the lineup in favor of Bratt?
The obvious choice prior to the start of the season was Jean-Sebastien Dea. He came to the Devils off waivers just a few days before the start of the season, after the Pittsburgh Penguins attempted to send him down to Wilkes Barre/Scranton. He went into the Devils lineup once Bratt broke his jaw at practice. Since then, he’s scored three goals on the fourth line next to Blake Coleman and Brian Boyle.
It seems almost impossible to take Dea out of the lineup at this point. The next person on the list is likely John Quenneville. Quenneville made the team out of training camp, winning the battle for the last spot on the roster. He’s been fighting for that spot for three years, and he finally won it this preseason. The 22-year-old forward doesn’t have a point to start the year, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t playing well. He’s had great chemistry next to Miles Wood and Travis Zajac.
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The wild card option is Stefan Noesen. He was given a chance to play on the second line when Bratt went out. He’s had ample opportunities to score since, yet only has one goal and one assist. That isn’t terrible over four games, but when you’ve seen the opportunities Noesen had you would want more. He’s taken too long to make passes, makes the wrong decisions on break outs and doesn’t shoot when he should. However, if it wasn’t this certain situation, the team would ride it out. It’s not like we are waiting on Drew Stafford to replace Noesen in the lineup.
The last option may be the one the Devils actually make. They could send Bratt down to Binghamton. The Devils would have a hard time convincing Bratt this would be the best option, but it might be. Bratt is waiver exempt. That means he can go to the AHL with no issues. It would be an option in the short term, but one the Devils could use.
The Devils have another week to make this decision, but if they keep winning then it makes the decision harder and harder. Of course, someone else could get injured to make the decision for them. Until that happens, something has to give.