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Bratt, Devils' rookies will be challenged on first trip to the West Coast
Jesper Bratt and the Devils are already off to a hot start to the 2017-2018 season, road trip to the West Coast could prove to be challenging.  Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Bratt, Devils' rookies will be challenged on first trip to the West Coast

It’s unlikely that anyone expected the New Jersey Devils to enter their 2017-18 campaign with a pair of three-game winning streaks. Or that anyone figured they would end atop the Metropolitan Division with the fourth best power play in the league. But here they are, entering a challenging November of hockey that starts with a road swing along the West Coast.

But if Jesper Bratt’s recent late game heroics have shown anything, it’s that the Devils have a lot of good thing going for them. And they come in the form of its rookie unit.

Of course, the masses had their eyes on New Jersey’s crop of young guns before the season is. With first overall draft pick Nico Hischier in the mix, the Devils were expected to put an a tough young product on the ice. And while Hischier’s game continues to grow and become more dominant, he is in good company.

Enter Bratt, a Swedish product who can’t even legally buy a beer in the states. He can, however, serve as a catalyst for New Jersey. He has done just that, scoring game-deciding goals in back-to-back tilts. (One of which was a savage shootout goal that almost makes watching shootouts seem more entertaining.) Teammate Taylor Hall told NJ.com that the 19-year-old’s game contains “spunk.” And it’s hard not to agree.

And then there’s defenseman Will Butcher, the record-setter who clearly knows a thing or two about setting up a goal. The offensively-minded blue liner started off by setting a New Jersey record when he registered three points in his NHL debut. He added to it by becoming the first defenseman in league history to register eight points in his first five games. Perhaps it’s no surprise that he heads into November with a team-leading 11assists – which is also currently the most among his rookie class.

Clearly this contingent is contributing to New Jersey’s early season success. Although there is, of course, a thing or two to wonder about as the Devils embark on the West Coast swing. The rookies, for one, are still adjusting to the heavier NHL workload. The ability to keep their compete level high will be tested right off the bat playing a surprisingly competitive Vancouver Canucks team, a tough St. Louis Blues squad, and an Edmonton Oilers team primed to break out after a shockingly slow start.

This is clearly the time for the Devils and their new crop of rookies to show how long and far they can fight this season. Will they contribute more game-winning goals and help the team maintain its dominance?

"This is kind of where you team decides: is it a playoff team or is it just a mediocre team?" Hall told NJ.com. "We need to go in with the mindset, if we can go .500 or better, that's a solid trip for us."


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