Confirmed with Link: Arbitration Avoided, Bratt Signs for 1 year, $5.45 million

[NJDevs26]

Bratt isn’t as good a defensive forward as his metrics claim but he isn’t exactly Atlanta Kovalsuck bad either.

 

[glenwo2]

I don't understand how one person here could say "5 years is enough" and that Bratt needs to go to give others a chance.

This isn't a game of Tag.

Bratt's earned his way to the NHL and the Devils.

If others want to play, then let's see them earn their way here instead of just being GIFTED the spot which is what @Jersey Fan 12 is alluding to.

 

[NJDevs26]

Plus if Bratt needs to be replaced by some Utica player what does that say about the fifteen or so guys already on the team worse than Bratt? It’s just common sense, you replace the weakest links with minor leaguers before replacing the strongest ones.

 

[My3Sons]

I don't understand how one person here could say "5 years is enough" and that Bratt needs to go to give others a chance.

This isn't a game of Tag.

Bratt's earned his way to the NHL and the Devils.

If others want to play, then let's see them earn their way here instead of just being GIFTED the spot which is what @Jersey Fan 12 is alluding to.

To be fair, who was gifted anything? Name the worst player on the roster at any position in the last few years. The only guy I can think of who maybe was gifted a spot is Geersten. Every other fringe guy came and went like the ordinary fringe player. Nico has never been the worst player on the team to 99% of the fans (despite what some would argue) and I don't think Jack as a rookie was the worst player on the team (that would have been Hayden to me). Other than that maybe Boquist when his contract did not allow an AHL assignment?

 

[glenwo2]

If Dawson Mercer is good enough to play in the NHL, which he clearly is as he put up over 0.5 ppg in his 20 year old season, why should he be subjected to a lesser league? That makes no sense.

Also, using plus/minus for literally anything tells me all I need to know about this argument. Have a wonderful afternoon.

Oh damn.

He's using THAT argument?

 

[glenwo2]

To be fair, who was gifted anything?

No one.

Which is my point.

What he is doing is wanting some guy in Utica to take Bratt's place (while Bratt is being tossed to the curb) just because he "deserves a chance" or some entitled bullshit.

The current Devils players on the ice earned their way there.

Replacing a player who earned their way there for a player who did not is GIFTING that player a spot because....REASONS.

 

[My3Sons]

No one.

Which is my point.

What he is doing is wanting some guy in Utica to take Bratt's place (while Bratt is being tossed to the curb) just because he "deserves a chance" or some entitled bullshit.

The current Devils players on the ice earned their way there.

Replacing a player who earned their way there for a player who did not is GIFTING that player a spot because....REASONS.

You can't let one fringe opinion derail things. Maybe NJ can stash Bratt on the fourth line so he can play sheltered minutes if he can't handle the defensive responsibilities of playing with Hischier on the third line?

 

[glenwo2]

You can't let one fringe opinion derail things. Maybe NJ can stash Bratt on the fourth line so he can play sheltered minutes if he can't handle the defensive responsibilities of playing with Hischier on the third line?

Funny guy.

And I'm not letting one fringe opinion derail things but I am making sure my opinion on this "fringe opinion" is being heard.

 

[Guadana]

Looks motivated, 50 pushups a day per each year until UFA

Wha? Is it much?

 

[Eggtimer]

I still wonder what the Devils true plans are for Bratt and what they see him as.
Is it safe to assume that they don’t see him as a true core piece along beside Hughes brothers(assuming Luke is a stud ) and Nico ? And perhaps Bratt is pissed about that?
I just think Fitz and company have a structured plan with certain allocation of funds and cap space once everyone is in their places and the roster is constructed exactly as they want it to be. I think the roster is pretty damn close but that’s a different topic for discussion.
If they viewed Bratt as a core piece , he would have been signed long term in my opinion. However , that’s not to say that they are sure he is NOT a core piece.… that is still TBD in their eyes. ( my take is he should be considered a core piece as of now )

 

[NJDevs26]

I still wonder what the Devils true plans are for Bratt and what they see him as.
Is it safe to assume that they don’t see him as a true core piece along beside Hughes brothers(assuming Luke is a stud ) and Nico ? And perhaps Bratt is pissed about that?
I just think Fitz and company have a structured plan with certain allocation of funds and cap space once everyone is in their places and the roster is constructed exactly as they want it to be. I think the roster is pretty damn close but that’s a different topic for discussion.
If they viewed Bratt as a core piece , he would have been signed long term in my opinion. However , that’s not to say that they are sure he is NOT a core piece.… that is still TBD in their eyes. ( my take is he should be considered a core piece as of now )

That’s a tired meme…Bratt wasn’t producing enough to be considered a core piece when people were screaming he wasn’t included in the core piece quote from Fitz two years ago, but Fitz termed him as such after this year.

It’s also possible they just don’t trust him to stay long term (neither do I) after the 2021 holdout and another ‘challenging’ negotiation this offseason.

 

[Emperoreddy]

They offered him a 6-7 year deal that almost certainly was north of $6 million per.

You don't offer that to guys you think are disposable or replaceable.

 

[My3Sons]

They offered him a 6-7 year deal that almost certainly was north of $6 million per.

You don't offer that to guys you think are disposable or replaceable.

They are paying Palat $6 mil per to be a heady gritty vet with some skill. Not a disposable player but not a core guy either. Something tells me the analytics guys may be influencing this. Bratt's a wing the team may just have a weird line in the sand with that.

 

[JimEIV]

They offered him a 6-7 year deal that almost certainly was north of $6 million per.

You don't offer that to guys you think are disposable or replaceable.

6.5 on 7 years is a garbage offer though.

Give up 5 UFA years at a discounted rate that would take him to 31 years old, an age impossible to get another big contract. His agent would be a fool to let him sign that.

7m on 4 years would have been much more reasonable.

 

[My3Sons]

6.5 on 7 years is a garbage offer though.

Give up 5 UFA years at a discounted rate that would take him to 31 years old, an age impossible to get another big contract. His agent would be a fool to let him sign that.

7m on 4 years would have been much more reasonable.

If Bratt wants to go UFA at 28 to maximize his earnings I’m not sure why the team wouldn’t understand that. If they don’t agree to that as a premise that’s on them.

 

[Blackjack]

I love that every now and then the Devils Insiders twitter account just posts thirst trap stuff. They like young shirtless athletes a little too much.

 

[JimEIV]

If Bratt wants to go UFA at 28 to maximize his earnings I’m not sure why the team wouldn’t understand that. If they don’t agree to that as a premise that’s on them.

It appears that's what happened? We do know Fitz offered a long term deal. He did allude to Bratt wanting a shorter deal...

Maybe Bratt wasn't willing to give up any UFA years at a lower price? I don't blame him...he was here through most of shit plugging away while everyone was getting paid and pretty much not performing.

 

[MadDevil]

It appears that's what happened? We do know Fitz offered a long term deal. He did allude to Bratt wanting a shorter deal...

Maybe Bratt wasn't willing to give up any UFA years at a lower price? I don't blame him...he was here through most of shit plugging away while everyone was getting paid and pretty much not performing.

"Imagine never producing more than 35 points in a season, being a healthy scratch as recently as February 2020 and trying to demand the conditions of your first contract in a league that has for all intents and purposes has frozen salaries....strange times for sure."

 

[glenwo2]

I love that every now and then the Devils Insiders twitter account just posts thirst trap stuff. They like young shitless athletes a little too much.

Isn't that a good thing that they remembered to wipe?

 

[JimEIV]

"Imagine never producing more than 35 points in a season, being a healthy scratch as recently as February 2020 and trying to demand the conditions of your first contract in a league that has for all intents and purposes has frozen salaries....strange times for sure."

This is his 2nd contract in the league after his ELC...he led the team in scorinng this year, was 4th last year in only 46 games...1st and 4th while getting paid 2.7 million and everyone else is getting mega contracts.

Miles Wood was making more than Bratt the last two years. Johansson was making more Bratt

Bratt needs to be paid.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

I think saying +/- is completely worthless does it a disservice. I think it can have some rough and ready value in a limited context. To me, Bratt being even on a terrible team that was well underwater in goal differential is some indication the team did well with him on the ice. Is it as good as the fancy stats they have developed to replace it? No, but to me it is a shorthand place to start. It's no shock to me that Bratt and Nico were even and minus one while Jack was -16. It doesn't mean Jack is terrible, it's just a relative quick and dirty way to show me that Jack probably has some development to do on the give and take of the game. At his age that's perfectly appropriate. I expect that as a player matures his scoring may go down but his overall impact improves and +/- can be a small part of that. Frankly, in this instance it's an easy way to support the argument that Bratt has arrived as a top player. I'm sure the advanced stats underline that point and drive it home.

You'd be much better off taking the extra 10 seconds to find a players' even strength goals +/- at the very least.

But ask yourself this, why are the players that top and bottom the +/- column different every year? You expect to see certain players at the top of the goals, or shot blocks, or hits list every year. But +/- is different every season. It's not a skill. It's a list of people that got good or bad goaltending and/or got abnormal 6v5 or 4v5 results.

 

[Hisch13r]

It's near impossible to overstate the importance of Bratt for the success of this team both short term and long term

 

[Hisch13r]

That’s a tired meme…Bratt wasn’t producing enough to be considered a core piece when people were screaming he wasn’t included in the core piece quote from Fitz two years ago, but Fitz termed him as such after this year.

It’s also possible they just don’t trust him to stay long term (neither do I) after the 2021 holdout and another ‘challenging’ negotiation this offseason.

Using raw production to say Bratt didn't belong as a core piece is dumb. He had a higher scoring rate than Nico every year outside their rookie years. Bratt's draft position both directly and indirectly caused him to be underrated for years. I think Fitz also (stupidly) not believing Bratt was a part of the core prior to this year is why I don't believe he actually offered Bratt the type of long term deal he actually deserved because he doesn't fully buy that Bratt is this type of player and needs to see it again

 

[MauDevils]

It's near impossible to overstate the importance of Bratt for the success of this team both short term and long term

Jack Hughes is really holding Grier back.

 

[My3Sons]

This is his 2nd contract in the league after his ELC...he led the team in scorinng this year, was 4th last year in only 46 games...1st and 4th while getting paid 2.7 million and everyone else is getting mega contracts.

Miles Wood was making more than Bratt the last two years. Johansson was making more Bratt

Bratt needs to be paid.

He will be. It’s just a question of whether it will be NJ or another team but nobody will get him at any discount. That raises some issues about whether the team wants to pay him but that’s a question they have to answer. If they expect to have him sign for seven years at $6.5 mil or whatever they had offered all I’d ask is that Bratt’s agent be candid with Fitz. Just tell Fitz what they want instead of passive aggressively trying to get Fitz to bid against himself.

Using raw production to say Bratt didn't belong as a core piece is dumb. He had a higher scoring rate than Nico every year outside their rookie years. Bratt's draft position both directly and indirectly caused him to be underrated for years. I think Fitz also (stupidly) not believing Bratt was a part of the core prior to this year is why I don't believe he actually offered Bratt the type of long term deal he actually deserved because he doesn't fully buy that Bratt is this type of player and needs to see it again

Fitz was an old school NHL player and probably doesn’t see enough “B” game from Bratt to accept him for the talent he is.