For much of the 2010s, the New Jersey Devils were defined by mediocrity and missed opportunities. After an unexpected run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2012, the franchise entered a period of rebuilding marked by roster turnover, coaching changes, and overall challenges on both the front and back ends. Through the tumultuous years, the Devils stockpiled their draft picks and made numerous selections that would eventually reshape their identity as a top-contending team in the NHL.
The Devils now boast one of the most talented young cores in the NHL. They are a team that not only made it back to the playoffs but looks poised to contend for years, and these star draft picks over the past decade have lifted the team back into relevance and have made them competitors for the incoming 2025-26 season.
Jesper Bratt
Jesper Bratt may be one of the NHL’s most underrated wingers. Selected 162nd overall in the sixth round of the 2016 NHL Entrry Draft, the Stockholm native has become an integral piece of the Devils’ rebuild and one of their most valuable contributors. Seen by many as a long-term project (if he even made the NHL at all), Bratt exceeded expectations, forcing himself into conversations immediately. He made the Devils’ opening night roster in 2017 at just 19 years old, the lowest drafted teenager to play in the NHL since 1995-96, and scored in his professional debut. In his rookie season, Bratt recorded 35 points (13 goals, 22 assists) and jumped up to the first line alongside Nico Hischier and Taylor Hall. Over time, he evolved from a raw but skilled forward into one of the league’s most consistent and creative playmakers.
By the 2021-22 season, Bratt cemented himself as a top-line winger, routinely producing at or near a point-per-game pace. His edgework, vision, and ability to create off the rush have made him into a dangerous opponent. In his last two seasons with the Devils, Bratt has pushed over 80 points in a single season, has become the leading producer in assists, and is the active points leader in franchise history with 447 just behind Devils legend Scott Gomez.
In addition to his individual talent, his playmaking style has been a perfect complement to Jack Hughes. Together, they’ve formed one of the most dynamic duos in the Eastern Conference, notably known as PB & J, as Hughes dubbed it in 2023. Their on-ice chemistry is unmatched, and the two of them combined for 158 points last season
Bratt has…
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