Jesper Bratt has always been an underrated player. After being drafted in the sixth round of the 2016 NHL Draft by the New Jersey Devils, 162nd overall, Bratt has spent eight seasons in the NHL showing how valuable he is. Now, with Jack Hughes on the sidelines, Bratt has a chance to do something no Devils player has ever done.
Bratt has never been defined by being a later-round draft pick. His ceiling has continued to go up each year as he elevates his game. When the Devils need him to step up, he does. Bratt is a dynamic player who drives play and has excellent hockey sense. He just keeps getting better.
Jesper Bratt's level of play has demanded that the NHL take notice
At 26 years old, Bratt has a single-season high of 83 points. He has 435 career points. In 67 games during the 2024-25 season, Bratt has 76 points, just seven points away from his career-high. He has 19 goals and 57 assists. He leads the team in points and assists.
Bratt is on pace for 93 points, which would break his single-season record. He’s also extremely close to breaking the Devils’ single-season assist record, currently held by Scott Stevens with 60 assists in one season.
Later-round draft picks can surprise the NHL with just how good they are. But only a select few have ever reached a particular milestone: only six sixth-round draft picks have ever scored 100 points in a single season: Daniel Alfredsson, Brett Hull, Steve Larmer, Kevin Stevens, Pavel Bure and Rick Tocchet. The last time a sixth-round draft pick scored 100 points in one season was Alfredsson of the Ottawa Senators with 103 points in 2005-06. He had 43 goals and 60 assists.
Reaching the single-season 100-point milestone would be incredible. Not only would Bratt become the first sixth-round draft pick to do it in 19 years, he’d also become the first player in Devils franchise history to do it. Jack Hughes holds the single-season franchise points record with 99 points in the 2022-23 season.
Bratt is off the pace to reach 100, but what if he keeps lighting it up down the stretch? Is a 100-point season possible? It would be difficult, but it’s not impossible. He would need 24 points in the remaining 15 games. This means that Bratt would have to average 1.6 points across the last 15 games.
Naysayers have always been quick to point out that Bratt has benefited from playing with Jack Hughes, both on a line at even strength and on the power play. But Hughes’ season is done, and Bratt is still a star. He has six points in the Devils’ last two games, with back-to-back 3-point games. He’s one of the driving forces that will help the Devils secure a playoff spot.
Even if Bratt falls short of 100 points, it has been a great season for him. And at his age, there will be other big years to come. Jesper Bratt deserves more recognition around the NHL.