New Jersey Devils: Explaining A Controversial Line Proposal

Line 3: Dawson Mercer – Jesper Boqvist – Jesper Bratt

Jesper Bratt has been lowkey struggling as of late. He has two points in his last seven games. They both came in the 3-0 victory over the Hurricanes. The Devils need to get Jesper Bratt going before the playoffs. He’s always been a streaky player, but we expect more from him right now. He broke out as a star last season, and he is taking it to another level. However, Bratt is trying to get a new deal. Tom Fitzgerald says he made an offer, and it’s obvious at this point that he did not accept. So, he needs to prove he’s worth more than he was offered.

Bratt and Dawson Mercer were phenomenal together last season. Bratt really started his breakout paired with Mercer and Andreas Johnsson. Johnsson is in San Jose now, but the Devils can find similar chemistry with Bratt, Mercer, and Jesper Boqvist.

Mercer has been one of the best Devils players this past month. His pairing with Hischier and Tatar is turning into one of the best lines in the entire league. It hurts to break them apart, but the team needs three fully-functional lines in the playoffs. This seems like the best way to accomplish that.

Boqvist has proven himself to be a very good piece in this lineup. The choice is between Boqvist and Yegor Sharangovich, who’s likely going to be a healthy scratch going into the playoffs. However, he’s a phenomenal depth piece.