Pucks and Pitchforks
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New Jersey Devils Grades For Terrible Month Of November

By Nick Villano

NEWARK, NJ - NOVEMBER 13: New Jersey Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid (1) watches as the puck does not cross the goal line during the second period of the National Hockey League Game between the New Jersey Devils and the Pittsburgh Penguins on November 13, 2018 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - NOVEMBER 13: New Jersey Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid (1) watches as the puck does not cross the goal line during the second period of the National Hockey League Game between the New Jersey Devils and the Pittsburgh Penguins on November 13, 2018 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Jesper Bratt: B+

Jesper Bratt came off his broken jaw, and has been great. He’s scored a point in seven of 11 games in the month of November. He helped Pavel Zacha look like a completely different player. He’s the reason Marcus Johansson finally got going. His offensive skill looks like it did at the beginning of last season.

He’s been pretty clutch. Bratt scored a goal with eight minutes left against the Panthers to give his team the lead. Sure, the Devils found a way to lose that game, but the clutchness already happened. His assists come at times when the Devils need a goal to tie or go ahead. He’s not getting points at less than ideal times, despite a lot of Devils goals happening at that point.

Bratt is one of the very, very few bright spots early in the season. It looks like the end of last season was a fluke. He’s a very good player. He just needs to get the rest of the team to play up to his level.

Travis Zajac: B+

Travis Zajac has been better than I thought he could be to start this season. He’s positioning himself in the right place, and is actually lighting the lamp at a good pace. He scored five goals in November. That may not sound like a lot, but Zajac hasn’t scored five goals in a month since March of 2016. Remember, a lot of that time he was on the team’s first line.

This season, he’s actually providing some offense beyond a few assists. He’s tied for fourth in points, and he’s showing no signs of slowing down. He did have a little slump in the middle of the month, but scored in the final game to end it.

He’s also on the team’s power play, which, again, is by far the best unit on the Devils. His line with this next guy is the only thing giving me life when it comes to this hockey team.

Blake Coleman: B+

Blake Coleman has been worth every penny of the extension he signed this offseason. Coleman signed a three-year deal in the offseason. He’s currently paying the Devils back for their commitment to him.

Coleman scored 12 points this month. That’s a pace of 70 points. Obviously, he can’t stay on that pace the whole season. However, the fact that he did it was great. Hopefully he can keep doing it.

He scored the Devils first shorthanded goal, then scored another one. He’s been amazing, and honestly should have gotten some power play time with that unit struggling.  Either way, it was a great month for Blake.

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