Arseny Gristyuk makes an immediate impact in the top six in New Jersey Devils win

There are few players who had New Jersey Devils fans as excited as Arseny Gritsyuk coming into the season. He signed early in the offseason on a one-year entry-level deal, and he immediately showed he could make an NHL impact. 

Gritsyuk played every preseason game. He showed he was ready for the big show, putting up two goals and three assists. There was no way the Devils were starting the season without Gristyuk on the roster, but he started on the fourth line. He was alongside Paul Cotter and Luke Glendening, and they played decently in that first game against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Then, the injuries started. First, it was Evgenii Dadonov. He broke his hand in the first game, and that allowed Gritsyuk to move to the third line with Connor Brown and Cody Glass. It seemed like it would only be a matter of time before Gritsyuk moved up to the top six after Dadonov’s injury, but there was so much chemistry with that third line that nobody wanted to break it up. 

Then, on Wednesday night, we learned that Cody Glass was going to miss the game

with an upper-body injury. That forced head coach Sheldon Keefe to switch up the lines. Dawson Mercer had to move back to center, which opened up a spot in the top six.

There was nobody else to take that role other than Gritsyuk. The chemistry of that third line was already messed with since Glass was out, so it makes sense to upgrade Gristyuk.

And he rewarded the Devils for the move. He was good all game, and in the third period, he scored his first career goal.

This goal came on the power play, so playing on the top six wasn't relevant, but it shows the kind of skill he has. Shooting a puck like that off an offensive faceoff will lead to a lot of really fun goals in his career.

Gritsyuk now has five points in seven games to start his career. He’s on pace for 58-59 points. If we told you Gritsyuk was going to score 58 points in his rookie season, everyone would sign on the dotted line to make it happen. Three of his assists are primary assists. Gritsyuk has been great. 

There is more to see with Gritsyuk. He still makes the occasional rookie mistake. However, what we’ve seen so far is exactly what they needed from him early in the season.

The Devils are lucky that Gritsyuk is this good this fast. They waited six years for his services, and he proved to be worth the wait.