Very little has been good for the New Jersey Devils in a rotten 2025-26 season, but, if nothing else, the organization has identified themselves another key piece for the future.
Arseny Gritsyuk, the Devils' rookie forward playing in North America for the first time, ranks ninth in the NHL in rookie scoring (26 points), though everyone behind the big three of Beckett Sennecke (51), Ivan Demidov (48), and Matthew Schaefer (45) is no greater than six points ahead.
The 24-year-old Russian has fit in brilliantly with the Devils, primarily due to his speed and work rate, but his legitimate skills make him a fit for a top-six role, too. Gritsyuk has commonly been deployed as a third-line forward with Cody Glass, Lenni Hameenaho, and Connor Brown, but Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald clearly feels the newcomer has more to give and wants to make sure that happens in New Jersey.
"We've talked to his agent. He loves New Jersey; we own his rights. He's been a wonderful, wonderful... I don't want to say surprise, but he's been a joy to watch," Fitzgerald said of Gritsyuk after Friday's NHL trade deadline passed. "He adds so much to our team. I'm really looking forward to his development and growth as he gets more comfortable with this league. But yes, absolutely, we see him long-term."
Playing on a one-year, entry-level contract, Gritsyuk will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season, with the Devils having control over his playing future in the NHL. Given all the vlogs and jokes with teammates, it would be hard to imagine Gritsyuk playing anywhere else in 2026-27.
It's been rumored that the Devils would only trade Simon Nemec for a meaningful upgrade at forward, but before the Devils get to that point, they ought to give Gritsyuk a legitimate run next to Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier for the final 20 games of the regular season.
From there, Fitzgerald and Co. can evaluate whether or not their standout rookie has the chops to play a top-six role in the NHL and therefore determine how many further forward upgrades are required.
Describing Gritsyuk as a "joy to watch" is a phrase that probably resonates with most Devils fans, even though that only applies to a handful of Devils players at this point in time. Such a comment bodes well for the fan-favorite's future in New Jersey.