Arseny Gritsyuk may be in his first NHL season, but he's already put up 10 points in 21 games, and he has 25 hits and eight takeaways already. This kind of play is only going to improve as he gets more top-six minutes. He knows how to score on the rush; his first goal was versus Minnesota on a power play just by focusing on shooting on net.
One of the many reasons why Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe really admires his play is that he's a phenomenal forechecker, and it showed big time in the win versus the Penguins. Yes, this team is going through a cold spell, but this is why guys like Arseny have been so vital, even when Jack Hughes wasn't scoring all the time, because there was a balanced approach on the wings.
You have to admire this young Russian player for coming into a new league with tougher, faster, smaller ice surfaces and different goalie styles. Especially being fortunate to have Evgenii Dadanov as a teammate, and Sergei Brylin as an assistant coach, who both can interpret for him, and teach him to become fluent in English, and get fully accustomed. However, his fluency is the love of hockey in the red and black.
Timo Meier is the next man up on this list here at 21 games. He has added 15 points in 21 games played, where teammate Arseny Gritsyuk is only 5 points behind. Meier, the Swiss power forward, has 35 hits and seven takeaways this season, and he is truly benefiting from Brad Shaw and Jeremy Colliton.
With the strategies he has combined to round out his game, he is hitting his stride, and it is really benefiting the core when going out on the forecheck and playing strong defense. Puck possessions are looking really good overall, despite the team as a whole going a bit cold in the last four games. But having Timo brings a lot of veteran stability to this team. If it weren't for Connor Brown being out, he may have landed in the top four in hits and points, but it is only three, according to Hockey Reference. He is really living up to his contract since playing more of his natural wing position.
Jesper Bratt is the last player we are listing, and it is an exclusive club because he is a point per game player, 21 points in 21 games, 24 hits, and 11 takeaways, and he really embodies what it means to be a Complete Sasquatch Score player, or in plain English, "a well-rounded player."
The Swedish phenom has been ripping it up on both sides of the ice and is not just an offensive wizard, but is becoming that Swedish version of Pavel Datsyuk that really excites not only fans, but also the New Jersey Devils upper brass. He's this generation's version of Patrik Elias, who makes scoring from even strength to even in the shootout look easy. His style of play is what every young hockey player aspires to be, and you gotta admire the young Swede for being not only talented, but skilled, and gifted with and without the puck.
If only the team as a whole can buy into being stronger in suppressing puck carriers and creating offense from defensive wins, this would yield a higher rate of scoring opportunities. The need to shoot quickly and accurately needs to be more prominent. Yes, Jack Hughes is out for a bit, but it is time to improve the offensive zone breakouts and zone entries that catch teams off guard and cause chaos. Not holding on the puck too long and confusing the defenders and goalie that gets this team back in their winning ways.
Playing stronger, not holding on to the puck too long, and confusing the defenders and goalie, which gets this team back in their winning ways. In front of Jake Allen or even Jacob Markstrom needs to be reestablished, and getting back to winning 3-4 games again, or even more. Get more points in the standings. At the current points total of 27 points in 21 games played, this team is on pace to get 105 points. With Thanksgiving roaring in, over 77.1% of the NHL standings usually make the playoffs on average per ESPN.