Drake Batherson vs Jesper Bratt

Who is going to be the better hockey player?


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    156

AfroThunder396

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Jan 8, 2006
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What kind of backwards-ass logic is going on in this thread? Making the NHL early means you have a lower ceiling? Do you people even read your own posts?

Jesper Bratt made the NHL a year after he was drafted, which is absurd for a 6th round pick. The last time a 6th round pick played in the NHL as a teenager was Michel Grosek in 1994. He played 3 games that year, Bratt played in 74 and had 35 points. This is a good thing, a 5'10 175 lbs teenager was able to establish himself not only as an every night player but a contributing offensive winger. I don't get why people somehow think this kneecaps his ability to develop into a better player.

In the past 4 years, Bratt has had three of the seven best Devils seasons in terms of P/60. For reference, Taylor Hall won the Hart trophy with the Devils in 2018 with a 2.42 P/60. Jesper Bratt had 2.24 in 2019 and 2.19 in 2020.

Batherson this year had a P/60 of 1.44, which is just barely higher than Bratt's worst P/60 of 1.33 his rookie year. But since Batherson accomplished that as a 23 year old with two years and 87 games of NA pro experience under his belt and Bratt did it as a 19 year old rookie straight off the plane from Sweden, it's hardly a fair comparison.

Comparing 23 year old Batherson to 23 year old Bratt and Bratt comes out on top with 1.88 compared to Batherson's 1.44. Bratt outscored Batherson at ES despite playing 130 fewer minutes than Batherson did, and keep in mind Bratt had no training camp and contracted COVID in February. The Devils had to play 56 games in 83 days after nearly their entire roster was diagnosed with COVID.

And this idea that Bratt has somehow plateaued and will not develop any further while Batherson is just scratching the surface is silly. Bratt's primary points/60 has improved steadily every year from 1.33 in '18 to 1.71 in '19 to 2.15 in '20 before dropping back down to 1.46 in '21, but like I said above this was a weird year for Bratt.

I'm sure Batherson will be a fine player but Jesper Bratt is special and easily the best kept secret in the NHL. Guys with +200 NHL games before their 23rd birthday don't grow on trees, to do that as a 6th rounder is outrageous. I mean if you want to talk about "potential" then sure, make your case. I suppose it's possible Batherson gets bit by a radioactive spider or gets sprinkled with pixie dust by a magical unicorn. But objectively, factually, empirically, Jesper Bratt is the better hockey player right now and there's no evidentiary basis for him being surpassed. Bratt was better when they were younger, Bratt is better right now, and Bratt is continuing to trend up. You can spend all day telling me how good Batherson's shot is, but until he actually does anything with it he's just hype.
 

Captain3rdLine

Registered User
Sep 24, 2020
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Jesper Bratt

9 points in 8 games against Buffalo


5 points in 7 games against philly


Don’t act like these stats are so damn difficult to find. It literally takes 2 seconds of research.
Huh are you serious? These stats prove that Bratt is closer to a finished product than Batherson?
 

Hellraising Senator

Registered User
Feb 15, 2017
719
760
Jesper Bratt

9 points in 8 games against Buffalo


5 points in 7 games against philly


Don’t act like these stats are so damn difficult to find. It literally takes 2 seconds of research.

Arguing with Goomba, whose name really should instead read like a certain wild Dman that rhymes with goomba, is a lesson in futility

I watch a lot of hockey. Especially not always my team, Sens, because I am a fairly decent sports bettor.

Bratt, good player. Very talented, solid vision, very creative with his playmaking ability. He though is bit inconsistent.

Batherson just has a ser of skills that will be more valuable overall in the big show. Crosby and MacKinnon both love the Drake and have him from with them each summer.

He's most Definetly got more love and value by the real hockey professionals.

This is no sleight on Bratt. He doesn't suck. Seems like some insecure Devils fans in this thread. No need be, you have a good player too. Enjoy him, he's not a better player then Batherson though and id bet good money, majority of hockey management and nhl players, feel the same
 

Captain3rdLine

Registered User
Sep 24, 2020
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Arguing with Goomba, whose name really should instead read like a certain wild Dman that rhymes with goomba, is a lesson in futility

I watch a lot of hockey. Especially not always my team, Sens, because I am a fairly decent sports bettor.

Bratt, good player. Very talented, solid vision, very creative with his playmaking ability. He though is bit inconsistent.

Batherson just has a ser of skills that will be more valuable overall in the big show. Crosby and MacKinnon both love the Drake and have him from with them each summer.

He's most Definetly got more love and value by the real hockey professionals.

This is no sleight on Bratt. He doesn't suck. Seems like some insecure Devils fans in this thread. No need be, you have a good player too. Enjoy him, he's not a better player then Batherson though and id bet good money, majority of hockey management and nhl players, feel the same
All that’s happening in this thread is the devils fans have shown some numbers to show how good Bratt is and back up our opinion and the insecure sens fans don’t like that but haven’t been able to produce an ounce of evidence or anything to back their opinion up.

You’re just making vague statements with absolutely no evidence. “He’s got more love and value by the real hockey professionals.”’Says who and what does this even mean. He skates with Crosby and MacKinnon in the summer so he’s better?
 

Hellraising Senator

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Feb 15, 2017
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Sho
All that’s happening in this thread is the devils fans have shown some numbers to show how good Bratt is and back up our opinion and the insecure sens fans don’t like that but haven’t been able to produce an ounce of evidence or anything to back their opinion up.

You’re just making vague statements with absolutely no evidence. “He’s got more love and value by the real hockey professionals.”’Says who and what does this even mean. He skates with Crosby and MacKinnon in the summer so he’s better?

Show me on top prospect lists from hockey analysts that show Bratt over Batherson? Ducy that is? Or maybe they are all wrong and the devils fans, who are clear minority on said topic, certainly know the real truth

Batherson scores more goals, has skills that are more sought after. Period.
 

Hale The Villain

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From what I can tell this thread is mostly Devils fans showing numbers to show Bratt is underrated as a player right now, but the question posed by the OP is who is going to be the better player (when they are fully developed), not who's better right now.

Batherson has had a super steep development curve. Went from playing junior B to Canada's leading goal scorer at the WJC in two years. He lit up the AHL in his first two pro seasons (over a PPG both years) and now put up great numbers as a rookie. He's got the size, shot, hands and IQ to be a star. All high-end traits. Still needs to improve his skating and become more consistent, but those are fixable deficiencies and they've come a long way already.

I'll gamble on Batherson being further away from his ceiling, which I think could be something like a prime Bobby Ryan (30G and 70-80P), even if Bratt shown more to date.

I'd make a similar argument for Batherson over Brady Tkachuk, who's been better the past couple seasons but I don't think it will be the case in a couple years when Batherson is fully developed.
 

Captain3rdLine

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Sep 24, 2020
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Sho


Show me on top prospect lists from hockey analysts that show Bratt over Batherson? Ducy that is? Or maybe they are all wrong and the devils fans, who are clear minority on said topic, certainly know the real truth

Bratt couldn't make his WJC team. Batherson was his team's leading scorer.

Batherson scores more goals, has skills that are more sought after. Period.
Lol he’s not on any top prospect lists because he’s been in the NHL since he was 19 and surprisingly made it.
He didn’t make his WJC team? Or might it have been that he was playing in the NHL. Man you really know your stuff don’t you.

Look a page back in the thread and you’ll see a tweet from a pretty popular NHL analyst on Twitter that previously worked for an NHL team in the past saying that Bratt always looks like a superstar when he watches him and showing a chart that shows just how good he is at creating offense from transition.
 

Goomba

Mario is a Devils fan
May 7, 2021
730
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Jesper Bratt

9 points in 8 games against Buffalo


5 points in 7 games against philly


Don’t act like these stats are so damn difficult to find. It literally takes 2 seconds of research.
What the hell does this have to do with Jesper Bratt being a 'finished' product while Drake Batherson isnt?

good God, you just type whatever youre thinking in the moment; dont you?
 

WhiskeyYerTheDevils

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He got half his pints, in less then half his games against 2 of the worst defenses and goaltending tandems in the league. Its not hard to see why that's not as strong as stats look at 1st glance.
Yeah but the debate was about Bratt being a more finished player than Batherson, how do those stats prove that at all?

Also, Bratt had just as many points (5) against Pittsburgh as he did against Philadelphia, yet somehow that was left out. And he didn't even get to play a lot vs the Rangers because of missed games...

Meanwhile Batherson played in the worst division in the league, while Bratt played in the toughest.
 

Goomba

Mario is a Devils fan
May 7, 2021
730
491
Arguing with Goomba, whose name really should instead read like a certain wild Dman that rhymes with goomba, is a lesson in futility

I watch a lot of hockey. Especially not always my team, Sens, because I am a fairly decent sports bettor.

Bratt, good player. Very talented, solid vision, very creative with his playmaking ability. He though is bit inconsistent.

Batherson just has a ser of skills that will be more valuable overall in the big show. Crosby and MacKinnon both love the Drake and have him from with them each summer.

He's most Definetly got more love and value by the real hockey professionals.

This is no sleight on Bratt. He doesn't suck. Seems like some insecure Devils fans in this thread. No need be, you have a good player too. Enjoy him, he's not a better player then Batherson though and id bet good money, majority of hockey management and nhl players, feel the same
Love when people have to let you know they watch hockey lmfao

Usually the ones who have nothing to provide besides their own opinion, hence they add their hockey-watching resume as an attempt to come off as intelligent

'Batherson is better because I said so and have watched hockey for X amount of years', incredible take
 

Hellraising Senator

Registered User
Feb 15, 2017
719
760
Love when people have to let you know they watch hockey lmfao

Usually the ones who have nothing to provide besides their own opinion, hence they add their hockey-watching resume as an attempt to come off as intelligent

'Batherson is better because I said so and have watched hockey for X amount of years', incredible take

Ok Goomba
 

biturbo19

Registered User
Jul 13, 2010
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I feel like it depends a little bit on what you're really looking for. I think Bratt probably has the slightly higher "ceiling" to be a pure offense generator, on raw creativity and skill. But Batherson is no slouch, and it's hard to ignore his size, ability to play in the dirty areas, and the slight edge i think he has as a pure goal-scorer. An advantage in that sort of skillset is appealing, and could arguably make him the "better" overall contributor as a complementary player.

I'd lean toward Bratt, personally. But i can easily understand going with Batherson for those other advantages, and the notion that Bratt as yet, hasn't quite seemed to fully live up to what it seems like he should be able to accomplish, consistently.
 

Hale The Villain

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I feel like it depends a little bit on what you're really looking for. I think Bratt probably has the slightly higher "ceiling" to be a pure offense generator, on raw creativity and skill. But Batherson is no slouch, and it's hard to ignore his size, ability to play in the dirty areas, and the slight edge i think he has as a pure goal-scorer. An advantage in that sort of skillset is appealing, and could arguably make him the "better" overall contributor as a complementary player.

I'd lean toward Bratt, personally. But i can easily understand going with Batherson for those other advantages, and the notion that Bratt as yet, hasn't quite seemed to fully live up to what it seems like he should be able to accomplish, consistently.

I wouldn't call Batherson a pure goal scorer. This year was the first regular season he's had going all the way back to 2011 that he's had as many or more goals than assists. He's the all-around package offensively. Can make plays and is very creative, but also has a shot that can beat a goalie clean.

This is why I'm so high on him. His skillset is fantastic and if he can keep improving his skating the sky is the limit.
 
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Xspyrit

DJ Dorion
Jun 29, 2008
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I wouldn't call Batherson a pure goal scorer. This year was the first regular season he's had going all the way back to 2011 that he's had as many or more goals than assists. He's the all-around package offensively. Can make plays and is very creative, but also has a shot that can beat a goalie clean.

This is why I'm so high on him. His skillset is fantastic and if he can keep improving his skating the sky is the limit.

Yeah, made that Bobby comparison before. Many things in his skillset makes me think of a younger healthier Ryan. The sweet hands, the vision/IQ and the shot are all quite appealing

We're talking about a guy that wasn't even on the NHL radar before he turned 18. He wasn't even a good player in the Maritime Hockey League in what should have been his draft year.

His AHL rookie season with his first taste in the NHL (9 pts in 20 games)



And his 2nd pro season




We have to note that it's guys like Batherson, Logan Brown, Josh Norris, Alex Formenton, Erik Brannstrom and Joey Daccord that made the B-Sens an AHL elite team last year. They had very poor veteran support, probably one of the weakest in the AHL (sounds like the NHL team).

I think there is something that plays "against" Batherson in outside fans view, is that it took time for him to establish himself in the NHL, therefore he can't be "that good". But that's the thing, if there's one (and only one lol) thing that this organization excels at, it's drafting and developing hockey players. They had no reason to rush Batherson and took the luxury to cook him more in the AHL. They did the same thing with several other guys (Norris could have certainly played in the NHL last year for example). The only guys that they graduated fast were Brady Tkachuk (4th OA, strong as an ox) and Stutzle (3rd OA, 1st OA level talent in some drafts, with the season delayed, was already 19 y/o at the start of the season)
 
Last edited:

GermanSpitfire

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What the hell does this have to do with Jesper Bratt being a 'finished' product while Drake Batherson isnt?

good God, you just type whatever youre thinking in the moment; dont you?

I thought you responded to my comment in the other thread in all honesty.

Where you completely ghosted me there after you were saying Bratt played in the more difficult division than Batherson so his stats are more impressive.


So i dove into the stats and I found out just under half of Bratts points came against two of the weakest defences in the league.

This still applies in this thread for the sake of argument but it really doesn’t make too much sense with the initial post you quoted of mine in this thread.

Still don’t know why you didn’t respond to my post in the previous thread though, it’s like I brought up definitive evidence contradicting your statement so you just went ghost :laugh:
 

MadDevil

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If these two players were traded one for one devils would have to throw in a 3rd or a 4th rnd pick

Bratt is being exposed for the expansion draft anyway.:sarcasm:

Or is it the other Bratt hater from the Devils board that said that? I can't tell the 2-3 of you apart half the time.
 

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