The New Jersey Devils are one of many teams anxiously waiting for their Russian prospect to finish his KHL contract to join the team. Arseni Gritsyuk has one more year on his contract with SKA St. Petersburg before he can take his talents to New Jersey. The 2019 fifth-round pick appears ready to play his way onto the top six, but he needs to finish his commitment first.
However, sometimes it goes the other way around. There are times when NHL athletes, even those who aren't Russian, will head to the second-biggest league in the world to keep their professional careers alive. Some go to the KHL to eventually make it back to the NHL, and there are others who go there for the money.
This offseason, we saw quite a few players sign new contracts with KHL teams. One is very familiar, as we thought he could become a star in New Jersey early in his career.
Frédérik Gauthier
HC Vityaz
The Devils signed Frederik Gauthier in October 2021. The former Toronto Maple Leafs player signed a two-way contract, trying to earn a spot on the NHL roster. He spent much of the season in the AHL, but he did spend a cup of coffee with the Devils team. After the season, Gauthier went to Switzerland to revamp his career. He had a decent enough season to see him upgrade leagues to the KHL.
Gauthier's last NHL games will likely be with the Devils. He doesn't seem much closer to the NHL than he did in the 2022 offseason when his Devls contract ended.
He's signing with Vityaz, the KHL team in the Moscow region. They claimed his size would bring a necessary element to their team. He also scored 10 goals last year, so they hope his veteran prowess could lead to more offense. Gauthier was once an exciting prospect, but now he's just trying to salvage what's left of his hockey career.