Ladies and Gentlemen, we got him.
On Thursday (my birthday) Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun each reported that the New Jersey Devils had agreed to long awaited, long-term extension with forward Jesper Bratt. The Devils, minutes later, officially announced the re-signing on their social.
The deal is an 8-year extension with an average annual value $7.875 million. Overall, the contract comes out to $63 million, Jesper Bratt's number. Coincidence? Perhaps. Regardless, it's a massive weight lifted off the shoulder of GM Tom Fitzgerald, Bratt's agent Joakim Persson and Bratt himself that this deal is finally done. For Devils fans, it's not only excitement, but one less thing they have to worry about in an offseason that can be franchise defying.
As well in the extension, Bratt has a full no-trade clause in years two through year five. In the final three years, he has a 15-team no trade clause. It is safe to say that Jesper Bratt is going no where any time soon. Bratt should thank Los Angeles Kings forward Kevin Fiala for the blueprint to a long term deal because Bratt's is similar to the one Fiala signed in L.A. last offseason (8-years, $7.875,00 AAV).
Jesper's cap hit in the deal will come out to $7.875 million per year. The fact that Tom Fitzgerald was able to get Bratt on an AAV less than what the team's superstar Jack Hughes's ($8,000,000 million) is a testament to the job Fitzgerald has done building this team and culture since he took over. Both sides wanted a long term deal done at a reasonable price and they eventually got it done.
Bratt's salary per year breakdown is as follows:
- 2023-24: $10,000,000
- 2024-25: $9,000,000
- 2025-26: $9,000,000
- 2026-27: $8,000,000
- 2027-28: $7,200,000
- 2028-29: $7,200,000
- 2029-30: $6,600,000
- 2030-31: $6,000,000
As the salary cap goes up over the next few years, Bratt's salary goes down. If he can keep up his production moving forward, this will be just another steal of a contract that the Devils have with their core players.
The Devils currently have $26,407,500 in Cap Space now after the Bratt deal. This puts them $4,607,500 below the cap floor. They still have plenty of money to re-sign their other top RFA in Timo Meier who Tom Fitzgerald said on Friday morning wants to stay in New Jersey long-term as well.
It was big step for Bratt this past season that earned him a uptick in money. The soon-to-be 25 year old winger posted a career high in goals with 32 and matched is career high in points with 73. He also has more five on five points than some of the best players in the game the last two seasons.
Despite only putting up a goal and six points in twelve games in the playoffs this past year, Bratt is poised to redeem himself for years to come. A good example of redemption for a player in the playoffs in 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Marchessault.
In Marchessault's first two years in the postseason (2014-16), he posted zero goals and one assist. Fast forward seven seasons later, he tallied thirteen goals, twelve assists for twenty five points and finished the playoffs on a 10-game point streak which is now a franchise record - the longest ever by a Vegas player in any game type. So, it's safe to say that Bratt can and probably will redeem himself in the postseason in the seasons to come
Overall, it was a long few years, but Jesper Bratt is staying right where he belongs, in the Garden State.
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