Devils Prospects

Report: Devils May Face Delay Receiving Standout Prospect Arseni Gritsyuk

According to reports, end dates for KHL contracts have changed, therefore the Devils might have to wait for Arseni Gritsyuk.

Published

1 week ago

January 8, 2025

James Nichols

Rightfully so, many fans of the New Jersey Devils have been excited about the idea of standout prospect Arseni Gritsyuk joining the NHL roster at the end of his KHL season. However, a new report suggests that may not be able to happen with a new development in the top league overseas.

The report derived from Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes meeting with the Habs media. Top prospect, Ivan Demidov, has been the apple of all Montreal fans eyes, and the suddenly surging Canadiens would love to get their hands on him as they vie for the postseason.

However, Hughes explained that Demidov is unlikely to be able to play for the Canadiens this season. NHL insider, Frank Seravalli, added to the news that it’s his belief the structure of contracts in the KHL has changed.

“Believe KHL contract end dates have been extended to May 31, which makes it tougher to envision a scenario Demidov can play this season,” Seravalli posted in a tweet.

The news from Seravalli is therefore applicable to all KHL players who have their rights owned by NHL teams. Arseni Gritsyuk, a Devils prospect drafted in 2019, falls under the category as he’s currently under contract with SKA St. Petersburg.

The Devils have been struggling with depth scoring issues, and although the KHL to NHL transfer isn’t always lateral, Grtisyuk has proven to be exciting enough that there was a glimmer of hope he’d be free depth.

Unfortunately, the Devils may have to wait until next season to get their hands on Gritsyuk, as opposed to the end of this season. The plus side? He’ll get a proper training camp and preseason under hist belt to adjust to the North American game.

This season, Gritsyuk has accrued 13 goals and 30 points in 37 games. Last season, the Devils prospect scored a KHL career-high 19 goals in 50 games, and added four goals and six points in 10 KHL playoff games.

For more Devils news, visit New Jersey Hockey Now, subscribe to our YouTube and like our Facebook page.