Jesper Bratt describes himself as a structured and routine-oriented person.
The New Jersey Devils winger values his regime, which is something that has always stuck out to his teammates in New Jersey.
"He is very routine-oriented and likes to keep things simple," former Devils teammate Damon Severson said. "He has his things he likes to do, and he doesn't veer from them. Everything every day has a purpose."
"He is purposeful," Nico Hischier told The Hockey News. "He always has a plan and knows exactly, every day, what he comes in here for, what he wants to work on. He has his routine."
That structure and dedication have served the Swede well as he developed into one of the NHL's top wingers, with four consecutive 70-plus point seasons. It took hard work for Bratt to reach his current level of success, and he was rewarded in 2023 with an eight-year, $63 million contract.
That hard work was instilled in Bratt when he was a young boy watching his father in Stockholm, Sweden.
"My dad is an insanely hard worker," Bratt shared. "He spent his whole life working a very blue-collar, tough job. That is something that I got to watch, how it is to wake up at 4:30 or 5:00 am every morning to work outside, even in the winter, doing a heavy job.
"I think that is where a lot of my work ethic comes from," he continued. "That really nothing comes for free, and you have to work harder than everyone around you to become the best."
His father is a carpenter, and with a smile, Bratt said his dad did the majority of renovations at his parents' house.
The winger's structure is influenced by his mother, who worked at a financial company.
"(She is a) very organized and very structured person who really tries to be the best she can be at her job," he said. "Every single position she held, she did everything she could to be the best one at it."
Looking back, Bratt says he inherited his work ethic from both his parents, but also notes that each one shaped his personality.
"You get small things from both parents," he explained. "I think I got my patience and calmness from my mom. To be patient and (understand) you don't always have to be the loudest and have the craziest emotions all the time - you can be a little more of a calm person and thoughtful. With my dad, it was just to try to be positive and be the hardest working guy in the room every day."
Bratt has one younger brother, Filip, who completes his family unit. It was Filip who helped nurture and build the competitive nature that Devils fans have seen season after season from No. 63.
When they were younger, the two spent much of their time outdoors playing street hockey. During the cooler winter months, the brothers would bring their hockey sticks inside or play video games.
"We had such an amazing childhood, we really did," Bratt said. "I think me and my brother grew up extremely competitive with each other. We both fed off each other to get better. I mean, spending great quality time together while we were competing - I think it is the absolute best combination of things you can do as a kid. It got better for both of us to kind of have that competitive mindset against each other."
The younger Bratt brother currently plays hockey back in Sweden but did come to New Jersey for their 2022 Development Camp and appeared in three games for the Adirondack Thunder (ECHL).
Family can have a significant impact on an individual's development, and it is clear that Bratt is a product of his environment. Skill alone can only take a player so far. It is the hard work, patience, structure, and competitiveness that Bratt witnessed back home in Sweden that have led to him becoming a core piece for the Devils.
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