The New Jersey Devils have a long offseason to-do list. However, President and GM Tom Fitzgerald checked a major box when he signed prospect Arseniy Gristyuk. Getting the KHL veteran over to the NHL for his first taste of North American hockey is important for the Devils' future.
The Devils desperately needed more offense in the lineup, and Gritsyuk is expected to bring that. He was a decent scorer in the KHL, putting up 17 goals and 44 points last season. It was his career high in points, as he was close to a point per game. Then, he had five points in six games in the playoffs.
Some were worried that Gritsyuk might stall his arrival to the Devils, but it always made sense for him to come this offseason. His contract with SKA St. Petersburg ended, giving him a clean break without anyone owing on either side. He also is 24 years old, so he gets to sign a one-year entry-level contract. He could have a big year and immediately earn a nice paycheck.
This has been a pipeline that has been in place for decades. Players have been coming to the NHL from the KHL easily since the 1990s, so there are plenty of examples Gritsyuk can turn to for advice. He mentioned Ilya Kovalchuk as a player he thought out when it comes to the New Jersey Devils, but fans probably don't love that.
He mentioned two others who played for the Devils who play in the KHL today, and they are giving him advice. Gritsyuk spoke to Sergey Demidov of RG, and they got an interesting answer from the future Devils scorer.
"I’ve talked with Yegor Yakovlev and Nikita Gusev; they gave me advice, wished me luck, and said it was the right move to prove myself."Arseniy Gritsyuk via RG
Both Nikita Gusev and Yegor Yakovlev struggled with the Devils, with Gusev having a really bad second season in Jersey. Yakovlev only played one season in Jersey before returning to Russia. Neither made their mark like they hoped, but they can walk Gritsyuk through the process of preparing for an NHL career.
Arseniy Gritsyuk is talking to the right people to get prepared for the New Jersey Devils
He also said he spoke with his former teammate and NHL rookie Ivan Demidov. He told him that the game is much different than the one in Russia. He told Gritsyuk "there's no freedom at all" which is good for him to know. Many Russians struggle with the frustration that comes with the NHL game. Understanding that will be a part of it puts Gritsyuk in the right mindset.
Gritsyuk told RG his goal this year is simply establish himself with the team. He's trying to learn English and he's going to travel to New Jersey a month before camp begins to get accustomed to everything inside and outside of hockey. He's doing the right things to make the transition smooth.
When talking about North America, Gritsyuk said he's looking forward to visiting Central Park, but that's all he knows right now. Is Dougie Hamilton available to take him to some museums?