Prospect Info: #162 LW Jesper Bratt

[Burner Account]

First half Jesper was running hot, and due for a cool off. But he shot at 3% during that cold stretch, was taken off the PP, and was playing less than 14 mins per night.

Cold stretch is a bit misleading for a cold couple of months. Your post also implies that the cold stretch is over.

Some of the players who out-produced Bratt in February and March (minutes per point) include Stafford, Boyle, and Zacha - the whippiest of the whipping boys. I imagine that means just about every forward on the team out-produced him.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Let's keep trotting useless Stafford out there instead of a speedy and skilled forward who clicks well with our top forwards.

 

[Burner Account]

Let's keep trotting useless Stafford out there instead of a speedy and skilled forward who clicks well with our top forwards.

Stafford has been a more effective offensive player than Bratt for over two months. Let that sink in.

 

[Cheddabombs]

I think you just have to hope Bratt can bring his A game, how he was playing in the beginning. Because that Bratt is far and away the best player that's on the fence of being in/out of the lineup. We need to take risks at this point. Bratt is a risk but it's worth the reward. He can help our breakout and transition game tremendously and provide some much needed secondary scoring.

 

[Ripshot 43]

Bratt will be in the lineup.

 

[MartyOwns]

Bratt will be in the lineup.

next year? for sure. but i want game 5 to be a vicious bloodbath, and i’d prefer bratt watch it from the safety of his high chair

 

[Ripshot 43]

next year? for sure. but i want game 5 to be a vicious bloodbath, and i’d prefer bratt watch it from the safety of his high chair

Notice I wasn’t specific

I agree.

 

[Jan Ludvig]

I'll say it again, he should be playing.

Hynes has not given us the best chance this series.

Totally agree. We’re supposed to be this team built on speed, yet Hynes keeps dressing slugs like Stafford and Boyle. I get it’s the playoffs and you need guys with experience in the lineup, but we’re not winning the f***ing cup this year. Let the kids get the experience. Besides, if we need someone to play the enforcer role, give Wood his balls back and let him play that role, if needed.

 

[glenwo2]

next year? for sure. but i want game 5 to be a vicious bloodbath, and i’d prefer bratt watch it from the safety of his high chair

 

[glenwo2]

Bratt will be in the lineup.

Bratt better be in the lineup. Devils need to change things up here 'cause at this rate, Game 5 is the LAST GAME of Devils Hockey this season.

And I don't want Bratt to miss the opportunity to get a feel of how intense the Playoffs are.

 

[glenwo2]

playing Jesper Bratt 8 minutes on the 4th line is not why we are losing this series.

You're right.

Playing Stafford in place of Bratt is obviously the winning formula.

And who says Bratt would play on the 4th line?

If Bratt finally gets a game, Hynes is going to put him in the best position to succeed : With Hall and Nico.

Palms will move to the 2nd line and that will be that.

Devils have got nothing to lose at this point by playing Bratt now.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

There is no way that Bratt should be playing on the top line with the way he played the 2nd half of the season. Literally none.

 

[Azathoth]

He absolutely doesn't deserve it, but I also think Palms needs to get away from the first line and Bratt does have chemistry with them. Unless Mojo can play RW? It would be nice if Bratt can get some playoff experience though.

 

[Wingman77]

Totally agree. We’re supposed to be this team built on speed, yet Hynes keeps dressing slugs like Stafford and Boyle. I get it’s the playoffs and you need guys with experience in the lineup, but we’re not winning the ****ing cup this year. Let the kids get the experience. Besides, if we need someone to play the enforcer role, give Wood his balls back and let him play that role, if needed.

It has less to do with experience and more to do with size and catering to areas we lack against TB. Especially in games 1 and 2, we were getting out worked and pressured very hard which led to a lot of messy play, too much aimlessly throwing the puck away, dumping and chasing more than carrying the puck in, etc. We've also had some trouble physically against them. Game 3 even wasn't great, but it was a little bit better in controlling the play and game 4 was among the best we looked for consistent stretches in the series.

Couple in Bratt's struggles, he would add more to that problem of us not being able to handle TB's pressure and physicality much. Boyle and Stafford may not be the best lineup options, but they are the better options given our area of weakness against TB.

 

[glenwo2]

It has less to do with experience and more to do with size and catering to areas we lack against TB. Especially in games 1 and 2, we were getting out worked and pressured very hard which led to a lot of messy play, too much aimlessly throwing the puck away, dumping and chasing more than carrying the puck in, etc. We've also had some trouble physically against them. Game 3 even wasn't great, but it was a little bit better in controlling the play and game 4 was among the best we looked for consistent stretches in the series.

Couple in Bratt's struggles, he would add more to that problem of us not being able to handle TB's pressure and physicality much. Boyle and Stafford may not be the best lineup options, but they are the better options given our area of weakness against TB.

Then when do you put him in then? Never?

After how he played a big role in helping the Devils bank in those early points at the beginning of the season(that enabled the Devils to get to 1st place and remain there for awhile)?

We're going to not play him because of the physicality of the friggin' Bolts???

There IS NO TOMORROW, WINGMAN!!! If the Devils lose, that's it. They go home and Bratt would be the ONLY young player who never got the opportunity to EXPERIENCE how playoff hockey is played. NICO DID.

And that would be a real travesty, imo.

There is no way that Bratt should be playing on the top line with the way he played the 2nd half of the season. Literally none.

At this point, it's not about whether Bratt deserves to play on the top line or not. It's about changing things up 'cause as I stated above, there is no tomorrow so might as well try something that actually worked for a time and see if it can work again.

And if it fails, it fails. Devils weren't winning the Cup this year anyway.

Plus, he has the best chemistry with Hall and Nico. Whereas elsewhere, not so much.

 

[Wingman77]

Then when do you put him in then? Never?

After how he played a big role in helping the Devils bank in those early points at the beginning of the season(that enabled the Devils to get to 1st place and remain there for awhile)?

We're going to not play him because of the physicality of the friggin' Bolts???

There IS NO TOMORROW, WINGMAN!!! If the Devils lose, that's it. They go home and Bratt would be the ONLY young player who never got the opportunity to EXPERIENCE how playoff hockey is played. NICO DID.

And that would be a real travesty, imo.

While what he did early on was much needed, it cannot be ignored that down the stretch when it was crunch time, he was significantly struggling. Similar to Cory and Kinkaid in the sense of what have you done for me lately. You have to go with what will win you games especially this time of the year. Bratt's size does not fit well against TB and we have been pretty well thrown around throughout this series. Having another guy in Bratt that could get pushed around, even though he can be relatively strong on the puck, is not going to help things. Stafford actually even managed to out produce Bratt down the stretch. That should be telling in itself.

Nico earned his playoff time and experience. Bratt did not, he had his opportunities. Hopefully he'll be able to get his game back together when those opportunities come again.

 

[glenwo2]

While what he did early on was much needed, it cannot be ignored that down the stretch when it was crunch time, he was significantly struggling. Similar to Cory and Kinkaid in the sense of what have you done for me lately. You have to go with what will win you games especially this time of the year. Bratt's size does not fit well against TB and we have been pretty well thrown around throughout this series. Having another guy in Bratt that could get pushed around, even though he can be relatively strong on the puck, is not going to help things. Stafford actually even managed to out produce Bratt down the stretch. That should be telling in itself.

Nico earned his playoff time and experience. Bratt did not, he had his opportunities. Hopefully he'll be able to get his game back together when those opportunities come again.

You mean "IF" those opportunities come again.

You saw how difficult it was to make the playoffs..especially in our division.

Who is to say the Devils make it back next season?

There are no guarantees which is why I am PRAYING that Bratt gets an opportunity in Game 5.

It would be so unfair for him to just be sitting there for all 5 games just watching Nico and others soak in this playoff atmosphere while learning...I said "LEARNING"....to play in such an environment.

What the hell is Bratt learning by just watching? He's basically US right now watching the game except with the best seat in the house.

He won't learn what the playoffs are all about if that's all he is doing.

He needs to Play, PERIOD. (I only pray that Hynes is of the same mind now. There's really nothing to lose at this point)

 

[Oneiro]

I'm just curious to see how he plays in the highest pressure situation of his career.

Sometimes, he comes off as the most poised player on the team. Other times, he seems to wander around a bit.

 

[glenwo2]

I'm just curious to see how he plays in the highest pressure situation of his career.

Sometimes, he comes off as the most poised player on the team. Other times, he seems to wander around a bit.

Well if he doesn't play today, we'll never see how he does....and that will be the ultimate indictment on Hynes as a Head Coach imo.

Yes, he wants to put out the best team possible to win but he also has an obligation to develop the young players as well since this was supposed to be another rebuilding year. He already has given Nico, Butcher, and the other young players the opportunity. Only Bratt has been left behind. It's time to #FREEBRATT.

 

[Emperoreddy]

This isn't preseason. You don't play guys just for experience

 

[theoptimist]

If we get Palmieri the Magician away from the 1st line then we don’t have a 1st line. Unfortunate.

 

[NJDevs26]

And IF the Devils don't get back to the playoffs the next few years they have bigger problems than not getting Jesper Bratt 12 minutes in one lousy playoff game this year. Anything from Bratt was a bonus this year, he wasn't even supposed to be on the team let alone do what he did the first 20 or so games.

 

[Wingman77]

You mean "IF" those opportunities come again.

You saw how difficult it was to make the playoffs..especially in our division.

Who is to say the Devils make it back next season?

There are no guarantees which is why I am PRAYING that Bratt gets an opportunity in Game 5.

It would be so unfair for him to just be sitting there for all 5 games just watching Nico and others soak in this playoff atmosphere while learning...I said "LEARNING"....to play in such an environment.

What the hell is Bratt learning by just watching? He's basically US right now watching the game except with the best seat in the house.

He won't learn what the playoffs are all about if that's all he is doing.

He needs to Play, PERIOD. (I only pray that Hynes is of the same mind now. There's really nothing to lose at this point)

Playing time is earned not given. Bratt didn't earn it down the stretch. Other players did.

Hynes holds players accountable no matter who they are and it's a respectable trait not many coaches have. Bratt is being held accountable for his play, just as Stafford was before him, just as Hall and Palmieri were at times last season (Hall even so in this off-season when he met with Hynes about reaching his potential), just as Lovejoy, Severson, Wood and some others were throughout portions of this season. When they were given opportunities again, they grabbed the bull by the horns and ran with it.

Miles Wood is a picture perfect example. Those watery eyes on opening night when they announced his name as he was on the bench in a suit and his teammates dressed. He came back like a bat out of hell and made himself stay in the lineup after he got another opportunity. Bratt had several opportunities through his struggles and even had opportunities during the most difficult part of our season when we were clinging for a playoff spot. He wasn't able to take advantage.

 

[Ripshot 43]

Jesper woke up today and said... I’m going to play today... and I’m going make a huge impact (into the glass when a Lightning player cross checks me from behind).

 

[glenwo2]

Playing time is earned not given. Bratt didn't earn it down the stretch. Other players did.

So I'm guessing between Game 4 and Game 5, Bratt earned his PT, right? Right.

This isn't preseason. You don't play guys just for experience

Well Jesper is getting that experience, thankfully.

Hynes proved not to be a total dimwit after all.