5 Jesper Bratt Contract Comparisons New Jersey Devils Should Use

Kyle Connor – 7 years, $50 million

This one feels a little different as well, but it’s in the right ballpark. Kyle Connor is more of a heart-and-soul type player for the Winnipeg Jets while also contributing points on a nightly basis. Connor also signed this deal before the pandemic, coming to a deal that pays him just over $7.1 million per season. This was a time when teams thought the salary cap would constantly go up. Then, the revenue came to a halt and players are making up the difference now.

Luckily, it looks like salaries are going to go back to normal soon. The NHL says their cap could go up $1 million this offseason. This could get teams to negotiate like they did pre-pandemic. So, this deal is realistic.

The Jets signed Connor when he was 22 years old right after scoring 66 points in 82 games. This came right after his third season. Bratt is slightly older and has one more season than Connor. The difference between the two is that Bratt was a sixth-round pick in the NHL Draft, while Connor was a first-round pick who was always supposed to work out. That doesn’t really matter in this negotiation for the Devils, but it likely meant something for the Jets in their negotiation.

This would be a pricey deal for the Devils, as this is right around what Nico Hischier is going to make for the next few seasons. Although, we don’t think anyone would have a huge issue with the deal as long as Bratt continues to score close to a point-per-game pace. Even if he never actually hits that number again, getting at least a 70-point pace every year is more than worth the price of admission.