There was a lot of hype surrounding Arseny Gritsyuk after the New Jersey Devils were able to sign him away from SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL back in the summer.
The fifth-round pick from the 2019 NHL Draft (129th overall) put up 44 points (17 goals and 27 assists) in 49 regular-season games. He finished in the top five in goals, assists, and points. Gritsyuk also contributed five points in six playoff games, which was tied for the team lead. So, expectations were high that Gritsyuk could see his game, which he had honed and developed in the KHL over the last six seasons, could translate to the NHL.
The New Jersey Devils Signed Forward Arseniy Gritsyuk
Everyone remembers the Nikita Gusev experiment with the New Jersey Devils. In the 2019-20 COVID-shortened season, where the Devils missed the playoffs, Gusev made an impact with 44 points (13 goals and 31 assists) in 66 games. But the following year, he struggled with five points through 20 games before he was put on unconditional waivers. His NHL career didn’t last long before going back to the KHL.
And while Gritsyuk impressed in the preseason, the regular season is a different animal. You could see that the skill was there to make the New Jersey Devils have a balanced attack. Not only five-on-five but on the power play as well. Having two units that can score gives teams a real advantage because the opposition has no idea which unit to prepare for.
While fans wanted him in the top-six alongside Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt, having a skilled player in the middle or bottom six allows the Devils to achieve the depth scoring they have been looking for since last season.
He developed chemistry with Luke Glendening and Paul Cotter. However, with Evgenii Dadonov getting a fracture in his hand in Game 1 of the season, Gritysuk moved up to the third line alongside Connor Brown and Cody Glass. Through three games, Gritysuk has three points, all assists.
His first game wasn’t the best, but he found his game against the Tampa Bay Lightning and continued to improve against the Columbus Blue Jackets. In the Devils’ 3-2 victory, he recorded his first power-play point, assisting on Dawson Mercer‘s first goal of the game. Again, in each game, Gritsyuk understands what his role is and makes the most of it.
Report: New Jersey Devils Bringing Over Russian Prospect Arseni Gritsyuk
Arseny Gritsyuk has a large body that allows him to protect the puck in the offensive zone. What has been most impressive is his defensive game. Gritsyuk knows and understands where he needs to be on the ice to break up plays and prevent the team from breaking out of their zone. Additionally, he knows precisely where to position himself in the defensive zone to enable the Devils to utilize their rush game effectively.
The development he had in the KHL paid off, considering the New Jersey Devils have always been defense first. But that is not all his Hockey IQ allows him to do. Gritsyuk understands when to use his shot and when to pass to his teammates. Early in the Columbus game, he had a chance to shoot, but made a pass to Cody Glass as Blue Jackets goalie Jet Greaves stopped him. The deception of a shot or a pass keeps the goalies guessing.
The addition of Arensy Gritysuk from Russia has been precisely what the doctor ordered for the New Jersey Devils to have a balanced offensive attack rather than relying solely on two lines all the time. This allows the Devils to be a deeper team and tougher to play against moving forward.
