While aware of his status as an unproven 24-year-old rookie, New Jersey Devils newcomer Arseniy Gritsyuk is going for the gusto as he begins his NHL career.
Competition for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the NHL's most outstanding rookie, will be hot, to say the least, for the incoming Gritsyuk, who figures to be going against old KHL teammate Ivan Demidov, among others, for the prestigious award.
But in Gritsyuk's eyes, if your eyes aren't on the prize, they're focused on the wrong thing.
"Well, why go then?" Gritsyuk said to TASS in reference to the Calder Trophy in a recent interview. "I'm not going there as a spectator.
"I can't make any predictions, but I have a points bar that I have set for myself. Of course, I need to work hard to reach it. But I'm not going there to relax, so we'll work hard."
Arseniy Gritsyuk is hope to be in Calder Trophy contention
Not going too much into further detail on his personal goals, Gritsyuk followed in the footsteps of a fellow Russian sensation in Matvei Michkov, who selflessly did the same upon joining the Philadelphia Flyers a year ago.
For the Devils' former fifth-round pick, a new beginning in the NHL means it's going to be all business from here on out. In fact, while on a layover in Ottawa on his way to New Jersey, Gritsyuk posted an Instagram story of himself in the gym.
The 6-foot winger has just over two weeks remaining before he has to report to Devils training camp on Sept. 10, so it's wise to arrive in the best shape possible to make a positive impression on head coach Sheldon Keefe and the rest of the coaching staff.
In the interim, the good news is that Gritsyuk's mind is already in the right place, and his body and talent should follow suit.