New Jersey Devils: Three Players Who Need To Improve After Time Off

Jesper Bratt was a pleasant surprise when he burst onto the scene in his rookie year. He has been an overall great player for the New Jersey Devils for being a sixth-round draft pick. He had 35 points in his rookie season and 33 in his second season with much fewer games played. It looked like this could be the year that Bratt really turns into a solid middle-six winger but that just hasn’t happened yet. There is still time as he is such a young player but playing well in the second half would be really good for the team and the player.

Bratt has eight goals and eight assists in 40 games. Those are not the numbers we were expecting from him. Unfortunately, he has dealt with injuries and inconsistent linemates all season long, which has clearly affected his numbers. Hopefully, the Devils are able to get Bratt comfortable on a line with consistent linemates going forward. He would be very well suited with Nico Hischier full time as they have shown chemistry with each other in the past.

It is well documented how bad this season has been for a team with such high expectations. If Subban, Severson, and Bratt all play to their potential in 2020-21 then this team could get right back on track. Obviously the development of Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes is pivotal to this group having sustained success but there always needs to be a good supporting cast. The second half of the season is going to be huge for these guys’ future.