A Cookie? No. Devils Driven By Jesper Bratt in Jack Hughes’ Absence

When Jack Hughes went down with a season ending injury against the Vegas Golden Knights, all hope seemed lost. The New Jersey Devils were already in a tailspin since the start of the calendar year, and losing their top play driver was surely the nail in the coffin.

If the Devils were to have any hope, then they would need the other stars on the team to pick up their game.

All eyes immediately turned to Timo Meier. The former 40-goal scorer is in the midst of a year where the puck just does not want to go in the back of the net for him. And while his production has seen an uptick since Hughes’ injury, it’s Jack’s linemate, Jesper Bratt, who has filled the void.

RELATED: In Jack Hughes’ Absence, Timo Meier Must Drive Devils

The Devils’ second best play driver and chance creator, Bratt is far and away the team’s most dynamic player in the absence of Hughes.

Some might chalk the Devils’ recent success up to Mrs. Fields. However, the credit belongs in large part to what Bratt has done over the past few games.

Here’s the moment it happened.
All the pain was worth it.

Crowd went NUTS#NJDevils pic.twitter.com/wbaXXZ1Gu3

— Daniel Amoia (@daniel_amoia) March 11, 2025

In the first five games without Jack, Bratt has totaled eight points, including back-to-back three-point nights against Metro division foes, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and against the Edmonton Oilers and the league’s top two players, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

Bratt ranks in the top three among all Devils in the more basic metrics such as goals (third; 19), assists (first; 57), and points (first; 76).

Where Bratt begins to impress even more is when you take a look under the hood at some of his more advanced analytics.

His on-ice goals percentage of 66.2% is second to only Hughes, while also ranking among the top three in other categories such as Corsi % (third; 58%), Fenwick % (third; 57%), assists per 60 (first; 2.73), points per 60 (first; 3.64), and shot attempts per 60 (third; 15.1).

Outside of Hughes, Bratt is the only other Devil who is top three in each of those categories and has been able to sustain that level of production despite no longer having his linemate, who together scored 39 goals at five-on-five.

“I always try and step up and try to be a guy that the team can count on,” Bratt said to the media after the Devils’ 3-2 win against the Oilers. “It’s hard for anyone in particular to replace what Jack [Hughes] does on the ice… but the guys in the room have to find their strength and find their way of helping the team get better.”

In the absence of Jack, the Devils were always going to need others to step up and contribute offensively. Goals from players like Paul Cotter, Brett Pesce, and Erik Haula are crucial if this team wants to make any noise down the stretch and into the playoffs, but when push comes to shove, the Devils will only go as far as their stars take them.

That's the way the cookie crumbles. pic.twitter.com/MdRwpH588U

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) March 14, 2025

The trio of Bratt, Meier, and Nico Hischier have a combined 16 points over the last five games and have been the catalysts for the team having a little more breathing room in the standings.

“We know that we [Bratt, Hischier, and Meier] can be put together and really create some momentum for the team,” Bratt said on the ESPN broadcast. “Our speed, our skill, and our strength really made us successful.”

READ: Dougie Hamilton’s Season is Over, Devils GM Says

In terms of pure play style, Bratt is the outlier compared to the other two and, in quite frankly, the rest of the team. He is the most dynamic and creative with the puck on his stick. His edge work and skating are some of the best in the league, and he is the best passer and distributor of the puck.

His 57 assists are a career-high, and he is on pace to break the franchise assist record of 60, which is held by the great Scott Stevens.

The Devils will lean on their goaltending and team defense to get them wins over the remaining few weeks of the regular season and the playoffs, but moments of individual brilliance, like he saw from Bratt against the Blue Jackets and Oilers, will be paramount if they want to make a run.

Bratt’s 93-point pace would set a career high and tie him for fifth all-time in Devils franchise history with former MVP Taylor Hall. However, if the Jesper Bratt takeover is truly upon us, expect him to find his way a little higher on that list after game 82.

*Analytics via MoneyPuck

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