GOTTA SEE IT: Devils Arseni Gritsyuk Scores Incredible Goal in KHL Season Opener

It’s starting to get a little colder out which means one thing; hockey is coming. Well, for the people in Russia hockey is here. The KHL season is off and running, yet the New Jersey Devils are already leaving their mark. While plenty of eyes will be on 2024 first-round pick Anton Silayev this season, it’s another top-five prospect scoring highlight-reel goals.

SKA St. Petersburg and Devils prospect Arseni Gritsyuk showed off his silky mitts and elite edge work, going coast to coast and beating multiple defenders before tucking away the puck far side to tie the game.

Yeah, Arseni Gritsyuk is going to be special #NJDevils https://t.co/HNv0jdOrxP

— Nick Natale (@NickNatale10) September 5, 2024

Displaying fantastic footwork with an ability to manipulate the puck when it’s on his stick is one of the hallmarks of Gritsyuk’s game. It’s easy to see how his pace and skill could fit seamlessly into the Devils top six next to Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier.

Gritsyuk is a prospect who has been flying up the Devils farm system rankings in recent years. The 2019 fifth-round pick won the KHL Rookie of the Year in 2021-22 when he was playing for Avangard Omsk. Since then, he’s proven to be a reliable offensive player, and in his first year with SKA last season, he scored 19 goals and 38 points in 50 games.

The 23-year-old has started the season as a top-line player for one of the best teams in the KHL. He is reportedly still on track to come over the North America following the conclusion of the KHL season, where he can theoretically make his Devils debut sometime in late March/early April.

The shifty winger has added much-needed size since his draft year and his development has continued on an upward trajectory since.

According to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, “Gritsyuk’s development has become somewhat of a marvel, transforming his projection in the five seasons since the Devils selected him in the fifth round… He’s comfortable in puck possession as a handler against top defenders and his skill level distinguishes his game. His shot is dangerous and he has added a hard one-timer to his toolbox… He’s fast through a light, agile stride, hanging onto pucks out wide and cutting to the interior on his edges to create chances to the slot to create high-danger looks. The more I watch him, the more confident I am that his success over the last couple of years is not a fluke.”

The Devils will hope that once they bring him over to North America and get their hands on him, he can provide the same type of skill to the team’s top six.

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