Jesper Bratt cited as an example of growth for the New Jersey Devils

Quietly, Jesper Bratt has been leading the New Jersey Devils in the eyes of Tom Fitzgerald, and that includes the thankless areas of the game.

New York Rangers v New Jersey Devils | Elsa/GettyImages Despite his newly found status as a true star winger in the NHL, New Jersey Devils forward Jesper Bratt isn't everyone's cup of tea these days.

This, of course, grew legs when the Devils, led by GM Tom Fitzgerald, set out to become a bigger, stronger, harder team to play against.

At a modest 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, Bratt, 27, is not the first, second, or even third player who comes to mind when envisioning those ideals. But, in Fitzgerald's eyes, the Swedish star has only led by example, expanding…