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Jesper Bratt

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 01/25/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 protocol. The Philadelphia Flyers are still listed as TBA, but the rest of the list is in:

Carolina – Warren Foegele, Jordan Martinook, Jaccob Slavin, Jordan Staal, Teuvo Teravainen, Jesper Fast
Chicago – Adam Boqvist*, Alex DeBrincat*
Dallas – Blake Comeau
Detroit – Adam Erne, Robby Fabbri, Sam Gagner, Jon Merrill, Filip Zadina
New Jersey – Jesper Bratt, Mackenzie Blackwood
Tampa Bay –  Curtis McElhinney
Washington – Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitry Orlov, Alex Ovechkin, Ilya Samsonov
Winnipeg – Tucker Poolman, Pierre-Luc Dubois

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Jack Roslovic, Columbus Blue Jackets

The big additions today are the two Blackhawks players, who would be huge losses for the team moving forward. Brandon Cain of NHL.com tweets that Boqvist currently lives with DeBrincat, which of course would put them in close proximity to each other away from the rink. Both players took part in yesterday’s afternoon game against Detroit.

Also of note, Roslovic is already off the Blue Jackets list. The recently acquired forward was already in Columbus when the team traded for him and was at practice with the team today, working in on the third line. He is not expected to play tomorrow.

*denotes new addition

Snapshots: Devils, Lyubushkin, Koivu

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New Jersey has yet to have top center Nico Hischier in the lineup this season but it appears as if he is getting closer to suiting up.  Marc Ciampa of the Devils’ team site relays several updates from head coach Lindy Ruff who indicated that Hischier has started to skate on his own as he works his way back from a leg injury.  While there’s no timetable for his return still, the fact he’s now back on the ice for workouts is certainly a big step in his rehab.

Meanwhile, winger Jesper Bratt is in town and is going through his mandatory quarantine period which means he should be available to begin skating with the team in the next few days.  As for goaltender Aaron Dell, he has not yet received his work visa and thus has not been able to travel to New Jersey to start his quarantine period so the Devils will be waiting a while for their new backup to become available.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • The Coyotes have been without defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin all season as he has been waiting to get an immigration issue resolved. The good news is the issue has been cleared up as Craig Morgan of AZ Coyotes Insider reports (Twitter link) that the blueliner is scheduled to land in Arizona today.  The bad news is that he’ll still need to go through a quarantine period before he can even begin to skate with Arizona so while this is a big hurdle that has been cleared, it’ll still be a little while before he’ll be able to play.  The 26-year-old suited up in 51 games with the Coyotes last season as their sixth defender.
  • While the Blue Jackets lost a center with yesterday’s trade of Pierre-Luc Dubois to Winnipeg, they will be getting one back for their next game as Aaron Portzline of The Athletic relays (Twitter link) that Mikko Koivu will be able to suit up on Tuesday against Florida. The veteran has yet to suit up with his new team this season as he has been on the COVID Protocol List.  While he isn’t a top-line option like he was in his prime with Minnesota, he’ll give them some extra depth down the middle at a time where their options are limited.

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 01/23/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 protocol. The Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins are still listed as TBA, but the rest of the list is in:

Carolina – Warren Foegele, Jordan Martinook, Jaccob Slavin, Jordan Staal, Teuvo Teravainen, Jesper Fast*
Columbus – Patrik Laine*, Jack Roslovic*
Dallas – Blake Comeau
Detroit – Adam Erne, Robby Fabbri, Sam Gagner, Jon Merrill, Filip Zadina
New Jersey – Jesper Bratt, Mackenzie Blackwood
Tampa Bay –  Curtis McElhinney
Washington – Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitry Orlov, Alex Ovechkin, Ilya Samsonov
Winnipeg – Tucker Poolman, Pierre-Luc Dubois*

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Mikko Koivu, Columbus Blue Jackets; Anton Forsberg, Winnipeg Jets

Obviously, the big names today are those that swapped teams, as Laine, Roslovic, and Dubois are all listed. Roslovic was already in his hometown of Columbus awaiting a new contract, meaning he has immediately entered the protocol, while Laine and Dubois will also need to travel and face government-imposed quarantines.

Fast becomes the sixth Hurricanes player on the list, taking away another option as they wait out the postponed games.

*denotes new addition

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 01/22/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 protocol. The Los Angeles Kings are still listed as TBA, but the rest of the list is in:

Carolina – Warren Foegele, Jordan Martinook, Jaccob Slavin, Jordan Staal, Teuvo Teravainen
Columbus – Mikko Koivu
Dallas – Blake Comeau*
Detroit – Adam Erne, Robby Fabbri, Sam Gagner, Jon Merrill, Filip Zadina*
New Jersey – Jesper Bratt, Mackenzie Blackwood
Tampa Bay –  Curtis McElhinney
Washington – Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitry Orlov, Alex Ovechkin, Ilya Samsonov
Winnipeg – Anton Forsberg, Tucker Poolman

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Juho Lammikko, Florida Panthers; Alex Stalock, Minnesota Wild

This is the first time that the Dallas Stars have been included on the list as they prepare to start their season tonight. They had a significant outbreak early in camp as 17 of the 27 players that tested positive in training camp were from the Stars, but Comeau is now the only player listed on the CPRA.

Koivu’s presence on the list does raise some questions since he returned to the optional practice the Blue Jackets held this morning. Perhaps this is simply an oversight and he will be removed, but for now it appears as though he is still in the COVID protocol.

Zadina joins a growing list of Red Wings on the list for the first time, now down five players. The team recalled Givani Smith earlier today, giving them another forward option for their game tonight.

*denotes new addition

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 01/20/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 protocol. Other than the Montreal Canadiens, listed as TBA, and the Dallas Stars, the other 29 teams are covered on today’s list:

Carolina – Warren Foegele, Jordan Martinook, Jaccob Slavin, Jordan Staal, Teuvo Teravainen
Columbus – Mikko Koivu
Detroit – Adam Erne, Robby Fabbri
Florida – Juho Lammikko
Minnesota Wild – Alex Stalock
Nashville – Mikael Granlund
New Jersey – Jesper Bratt*
NY Islanders – Josh Bailey*
Philadelphia – Shayne Gostisbehere
Tampa Bay –  Curtis McElhinney
Washington Capitals – Evgeny Kuznetsov*, Dmitry Orlov*, Alex Ovechkin*, Ilya Samsonov*
Winnipeg – Anton Forsberg, Tucker Poolman

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Eric Comrie, New Jersey Devils; Blake Coleman, Tampa Bay Lightning.

As for the missing teams, the Canadiens are on the road in Vancouver and have until 5:00pm local time to report, but are not expected to have any players in the protocol. As has been the case so far this season, the league declined to identify anyone from Dallas and will hold off on doing so until they are able to play in their first game, now scheduled for January 22. They had a significant outbreak early in camp as 17 of the 27 players that tested positive in training camp were from the Stars.

*denotes new addition

New Jersey Devils Sign Jesper Bratt To Two-Year Deal

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It took a bit longer than everyone hoped for the two sides to find common ground, but the New Jersey Devils announced they have signed restricted free agent Jesper Bratt to a two-year, $5.5MM deal, with a $2.75 AAV. With the start of the season days away, Bratt will miss at least the first three games of the season as he now must apply for a work visa, travel from Sweden to New Jersey and then quarantine for seven days before he can join the team.

The breakdown of the deal is as follows (via Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta):

2020-21: $2,050,000
2021-22: $3,450,000

Bratt, 22, will still be a restricted free agent when this two-year deal expires, but the forward will then have arbitration rights, something he didn’t have here, which is what forced the holdout.

It’s a big signing for the Devils, who are putting together quite a bit of talent on their top-six. Bratt is a key piece to their youth movement. He put up solid numbers last year, scoring a career-high 16 goals and 32 points in 60 games and could be ready to take that next step. He led the team with 15 even-strength goals last season and didn’t spend much time on the power play, something that could change this year. Bratt was a sixth-round pick in 2016, but needed just one year before surprising many when he made the Devils’ roster for the 2017-18 season as a 19 year old, scoring 13 goals in his rookie campaign. His numbers dipped a bit in his sophomore year, but now is beginning to look like a key piece to the Devils’ rebuild.

With Bratt signed, there are only four remaining RFA’s unsigned, including Winnipeg’s Jack Roslovic, New York Islanders’ Dmytro Timashov and Florida’s duo of Henrik Borgstrom and Aleksi Saarela. The deadline for RFA’s to sign for this year is Feb. 11.

NHL beat writer Brennan Klak was the first to report the signing.

RFA Deadline Approaching Quickly

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In a normal season, even restricted free agents that miss all of training camp have plenty of time to sign. To be eligible to play, they must have a contract signed and filed with the league by December 1, nearly two months after a normal NHL season begins. Two years ago we saw a negotiation go down to the witching hour between the Toronto Maple Leafs and William Nylander, with the young forward eventually signing a six-year, $45MM deal just before the deadline. Nylander was in the lineup by December 6, though he never seemed to get comfortable and ended up having arguably his worst season as a professional.

With a few notable restricted free agents still unsigned, now less than a week before the season begins, it’s important to note that they don’t have that two-month in-season window anymore. In fact, it’s less than a month between the start of the regular season and the RFA signing deadline of February 11 in this unique, shortened campaign.

That means for Jack Roslovic, Jesper Bratt, and, most importantly, Mathew Barzal, the clock is ticking. If they are not signed by that date, they cannot play this season at all.

In Roslovic’s case, the negotiations have led to a formal trade request. That doesn’t mean the only way he plays this season is with another team, but it certainly should inspire confidence that he’ll be inking a deal with the Winnipeg Jets anytime soon. The 23-year-old forward hasn’t gotten a ton of playing time in Winnipeg’s deep forward group but did generate 12 goals and 29 points last season in 71 games. Selected 25th overall in 2015 he obviously believes a change of scenery would be beneficial to his career, and it’s hard to argue that at this point given where he’ll still slot in on the Jets depth chart. If Winnipeg doesn’t give in or doesn’t receive an acceptable offer though, that signing deadline will put a lot of pressure on Roslovic to take whatever deal he can get just so he doesn’t spend an entire year away from NHL ice.

For Bratt, it doesn’t seem as contentious, but Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported recently that the New Jersey Devils forward is still in Sweden and there is a “bit of a gap” between the two sides. New Jersey just spent another $2MM on Sami Vatanen in free agency and, like in all of these situations, every day that passes gives another player a chance to show what they can do at camp. Perhaps playing in the SHL would be an option for the 22-year-old Bratt, but after a 32-point season in 2019-20 you would think he’d want to be part of what they’re building in New Jersey. He has just over a month to get something done if he wants to be there this season.

There are technically some other restricted free agents, including names like Henrik Borgstrom and Aleksi Saarela of the Florida Panthers, but they are already playing overseas and don’t have the kind of track record of the three mentioned.

That brings us to Barzal, who is one of the most fascinating stories of training camp so far. He was listed on the New York Islanders camp roster, but hasn’t appeared on the ice as the negotiations continue. Like any other situation that includes GM Lou Lamoriello, there is little information coming out, but Friedman discussed it today on the radio, explaining that this situation is not like some of the other high profile RFAs that have been in the news lately:

I don’t look at this situation here and see—like we know obviously there is a issue with [Pierre-Luc] Dubois in Columbus and we know there is an issue with [Patrik] Laine in Winnipeg, I don’t get any sense there is an issue with Barzal and the Islanders.

That doesn’t mean they have forever though, as not only has Barzal now missed a chunk of the already-shortened training camp, he’ll need a new deal before that February 11 deadline if he wants to play at all. For the Islanders, who have their eyes fixed squarely on a playoff spot in the tough East Division, missing Barzal even for a single game would have grave repercussions. The heartbeat of their offensive attack, the 23-year-old has 207 points through his first 234 NHL games and is expecting quite the salary bump on any contract.

The deadline isn’t two months into the season anymore. It’s just about a dozen games.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Bratt, WJC Prospects, Kerfoot

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The New Jersey Devils could be without Jesper Bratt to start the season, as the restricted free agent is still unsigned. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the 22-year-old forward is still in Sweden, noting that it would be tough even now to get in on time with visa complications and quarantine. Even those things would need a contract to be worked out first, something that may not be all that close. Friedman writes that though the two sides are still communicating there is “not a ton of talk, and there’s a bit of a gap at this time.”

Bratt, who was a sixth-round pick just a few years ago, has been one of the bright spots on a Devils team that has struggled the last few seasons. Though his play has certainly not been consistent, he still put up 16 goals and 32 points in just 60 games last season and figures to play a top-six role on the team this year once he signs. Of course, every day he misses leaves the door open for other players to impress, including newcomer Andreas Johnsson who has been skating next to Jack Hughes and Kyle Palmieri so far.

  • Speaking of missing time, several prospects at the World Junior Championship will waste none at all after their championship game this evening. Bob McKenzie of TSN reports that Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale, Quinton Byfield, Alex Turcotte, Arthur Kaliyev, and Tobias Bjornfot will all be on a chartered flight back to Southern California to join the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings respective training camps. Because they are coming out of the bubble and will not be flying commercial, McKenzie reports that these players will likely not have to quarantine for seven days (though they will still have to adhere to NHL testing protocols). The same process will take Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn to Buffalo Sabres camp.
  • Injuries are already popping up around the league and in Toronto the Maple Leafs could be without Alexander Kerfoot the next few days. Head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters including Kristen Shilton of TSN that Kerfoot is day-to-day after suffering an injury today in practice. The Maple Leafs had split their training groups quite distinctly, meaning if Kerfoot is held out it would open the door for one of the expected non-roster players to get a chance.

East Notes: Bratt, Olofsson, Ratcliffe, Rangers

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Devils winger Jesper Bratt is one of eight remaining restricted free agents around the league.  GM Tom Fitzgerald spoke with reporters today; Catherine Bogart of New Jersey’s team website provided Fitzgerald’s update on the status of negotiations with the 22-year-old:

Jesper’s agent and I have been in constant communication.  We’re trying to find a common ground on their thoughts on how a deal should be structured versus how we think a deal should be structured. I see a lot of parallels with Jesper’s situation with the Mackenzie Blackwood situation, and you know the contract negotiations.

Blackwood recently inked a three-year, $8.4MM deal coming off of his entry-level contract, the same situation that Bratt finds himself in.  He has had between 32 and 36 points in each of his three NHL seasons and had a career-high 16 tallies in 2019-20.  Even if they can come to terms in the next day or two, it’s unlikely that the Devils will have Bratt in the lineup on opening night as he will have to get his work visa, fly over from Sweden, and go through mandatory quarantine protocols before being cleared to suit up.

More from the East Division:

  • Sabres winger Victor Olofsson left practice early after crashing into the net, relays NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti (Twitter link). While Olofsson was able to briefly return, he was not on the ice for their final session of the day.  He is currently being evaluated, per head coach Ralph Krueger.
  • Included in the Flyers’ announcement of their training camp roster was a note that winger Isaac Ratcliffe will be out for at least four weeks after sustaining a fractured rib in training. The 21-year-old made his pro debut last season, notching six goals and nine assists in 53 games with Lehigh Valley of the AHL.
  • The Rangers announced (Twitter link) that centers Mika Zibanejad and Justin Richards plus goaltender Keith Kinkaid are all listed as day-to-day and will not be available when on-ice workouts begin early next week. No further explanations were given for their absences.  Meanwhile, GM Jeff Gorton confirmed that the team will not recall winger Vitali Kravtsov from his loan to Chelyabinsk of the KHL until that season is complete, relays Vince Z. Mercogliano of USA Today (via Twitter).  The 21-year-old has a dozen goals and five assists in 34 games so far this season.

Mid-Tier Restricted Free Agents Still Waiting On Contracts

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According to many of the reports that have surfaced over the past few days, an NHL season is expected to start on January 13. That means training camp is just a few weeks away and teams only have that time—which includes the holiday season—to get deals done with their restricted free agents. Sure, everyone knows about the negotiations with Mathew Barzal, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Anthony Cirelli, three players who have grown into NHL stars, but there are many other mid-tier RFAs that are still waiting on contracts too.

Dylan Strome should perhaps have more ink spilled over his ongoing negotiations, given he is a third-overall pick that has scored 89 points in 106 games since coming to the Chicago Blackhawks. For some reason—perhaps because of the stardom of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews or the up-and-coming status of Kirby Dach—Strome seems to get lost a bit when writing about the Blackhawks. That’s a mistake. The 6’3″ center is still only 23 years old could very well still become the difference-maker that many believe he would when he was picked so high in 2015. Even if he doesn’t ever reach that first-line role, Strome is still an extremely valuable player to the Blackhawks and needs a new deal.

Think back to the start of the 2017-18 season and remember, when a barely 19-year-old sixth-round pick made his entrance. Jesper Bratt, a late-round flier for the New Jersey Devils, played so well in training camp that he earned a roster spot and then scored six points in his first three NHL games. It’s a few unspectacular years later, but Bratt is still not one to be completely overlooked. Now just 22, he has 100 points in 185 career games including a strong 16-goal effort in 60 games last season. It’s not just Bratt either, the Devils also have Mackenzie Blackwood to sign, their goaltender of the future.

One of the more interesting mid-tier names to follow is Ethan Bear, who really stood out as a potential star on the Edmonton Oilers blueline last season. The 23-year-old doesn’t have a lot of leverage after playing just 89 games to this point in his career, but the Oilers would do well to lock him up before a true breakout. Of course, Edmonton doesn’t have any cap space at the moment and will need to make a transaction of some sort to even fit Bear in. Oscar Klefbom’s status likely has a lot to do with the holdup, as the veteran defenseman is expected to miss a good chunk of the season. Placing him on long-term injured reserve would give the Oilers room to sign Bear, but the team could be waiting for the mechanics of the cap in a shortened COVID-19 season to be sorted out before making any moves.

Perhaps most interesting (at least to this writer), is the situation with Casey Mittelstadt and the Buffalo Sabres. Picked eighth overall in 2017, this is a make-or-break year for the young forward, who hasn’t at all established himself at the NHL level to this point. Mittelstadt did play in 77 games during the 2018-19 season but was often overwhelmed by more experienced players at even-strength and ended up with just 25 points—ten of them on the powerplay. This year he split the season between the NHL and AHL, and though he did find some success in the minor leagues, he wasn’t the dominant playmaking force that many expected. Instead, he scored just 25 points in 36 games, finishing close to the very bottom of the roster at -15.

For a player like Mittelstadt, what is the answer here? The AHL isn’t even guaranteed to have a season at this point and a full year of taxi service—traveling but rarely playing with the improved Sabres—seems counterproductive for his development. It’s not often that a trip overseas is a good thing for a high draft pick three years into his professional career, but it’s easy to see how a full year playing abroad could have been more beneficial to Mittelstadt than whatever this season holds. Given his complete lack of leverage, you would expect him to be signed already, but alas, he’s now nine months from his last competitive game and it’s not clear when his next one will be.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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