Despite his newly found status as a true star winger in the NHL, New Jersey Devils forward Jesper Bratt isn't everyone's cup of tea these days.
This, of course, grew legs when the Devils, led by GM Tom Fitzgerald, set out to become a bigger, stronger, harder team to play against.
At a modest 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, Bratt, 27, is not the first, second, or even third player who comes to mind when envisioning those ideals. But, in Fitzgerald's eyes, the Swedish star has only led by example, expanding his game beyond goals, assists, and points.
“When you talk about hardness and whatever, to me it's simple. Do you get to the inside ice? That's the hard ice. Can you get there? Do you want to get there where production happens? So I think we've grown a lot in that area," Fitzgerald told RG Media in a recent interview. "I mean, you look at Jesper Bratt himself, the amount of points he had and hits, I don't know if they might've been one other guy who had those types of numbers and hits.
Tom Fitzgerald has high praise for Jesper Bratt
"So his game has grown, gets to the inside, he's willing to finish his checks, create turnovers, and I think we've grown a lot in that area. I really do."
Bratt and back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Sam Reinhart were the only two forwards to record 80 points and 90 hits in the NHL last season, so, it's not just about the numbers.
Bratt has passed his boss's eye test with his play, too, and it's been benefitting the Devils more and more with two playoff appearances in the last three seasons.
Is that good enough? Of course not, but Bratt is a big piece of the young core that is now starting to collectively hit its prime years. If the former sixth-round pick has any room left to grow, it's a huge testament to his work ethic and a great sign of things to come for the Devils.