New Jersey Devils: Jesper Bratt Will Continue to Elevate his Game in 2024-25

While the 2023-24 season was a disappointing one for the New Jersey Devils, one positive was Jesper Bratt’s incredible year. The 25-year-old winger took a step forward and showed that he hasn’t reached his ceiling yet. Bratt's strong season won't be celebrated as much as if the Devils had played well as a whole and made the playoffs, but his growth is important.

Bratt, a key member of the Devils’ current core, signed an eight-year $63 million contract in the 2023 offseason. A sixth-round pick back in 2016, Bratt has shown that late-round draft picks can have a higher ceiling than anticipated. This past winter, we raised the question: is Jesper Bratt a 100-point player? No NHL player has had a 100-point season in a Devils jersey. Jack Hughes fell just short in 2022-23 with 99 points.

Following back-to-back 73-point seasons, Bratt upped his game, becoming an All-Star for the first time in his career. After 32 games, Bratt was on pace for a 97-point season. Although he fell off the pace once the calendar flipped to 2024, he still had an incredible season. Bratt finished the season as the Devils' points leader with 83 points, including 27 goals and 56 assists. He had 27 power-play points.

Although Bratt fell short of the 30-goal mark in the 2023-24 regular season, he is capable of hitting it. During the Devils’ strong 2022-23 season, Bratt scored 32 goals, the first 30-goal season of his career. If Bratt can hit that 30-goal mark again in a future season and continue contributing assists at the level he did this season, he can elevate his offensive game even more.

Even when Bratt went through scoring slumps, he continued to contribute on the ice. This season, his average ice time increased, and he took more shots on goal. Bratt was involved all over the ice, creating chances and showing a level of fight that a lot of other Devils lacked throughout the season. Bratt also increased the physical element of his game. In 2022-23, he had 24 hits in 82 games. In 2023-24, he had 66 hits in 82 games.

There was a lot of inconsistency and poor play up and down the Devils' lineup. Bratt’s linemates changed throughout the season due to injuries. This negatively affected Bratt, a Top 6 forward who generally gels very well with either Nico Hischier or Jack Hughes as his center. A healthy center means more opportunities for Bratt to shine with his linemates next season.

Despite his upward trajectory and All-Star season, Bratt is still an underrated player in the NHL. But the league is now starting to take notice. Bratt continues to put in the work and show why he’s a key Devils player who has quietly become one of the more valuable wingers in the NHL.

A lot of people are calling this a career year, but Bratt isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Although it remains to be seen how high his ceiling goes, he likely hasn't reached it quite yet. As Bratt heads into his prime, there might still be another level. With a lot of hockey still ahead of him, the next three or four seasons may be Bratt’s best years. So the answer to that 100-point question we asked back in December? Not yet, but maybe someday. Jesper Bratt will be even better in 2024-25.