Devils Lock Up Rookie Forward Gritsyuk With Three-Year Deal Worth $9.75 Million

Arseny Gritsyuk is getting paid after one solid season in New Jersey.

The Devils inked the 25-year-old Russian forward to a three-year contract extension worth $9.75 million on Tuesday, hours before the NHL’s free agency window opens July 1. Annual cap hit comes out to $3.25 million.

Gritsyuk put together a strong rookie year in Newark. Thirteen goals and 31 points in 66 games. Those numbers put him 13th among all first-year players in scoring, and his six multi-point games cracked the league’s top 10 among rookies.

General manager Sunny Mehta has been moving fast. Earlier Tuesday, New Jersey sent veteran goalie Jacob Markstrom to the Panthers in a deal that brought back forwards Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist. The Gritsyuk signing came right after that trade closed.

Gritsyuk was a fifth-round pick back in 2019, 129th overall. Not a lot of hype came with that selection. But he developed over several strong seasons in the KHL before crossing over to North America. He’s also worn his country’s jersey a few times, including at the 2021 World Juniors and the 2022 Winter Olympics where Russia took silver.

Where Does He Fit in the Lineup?

The Devils have a logjam now up front. Adding Rodrigues and Boqvist alongside Gritsyuk’s extension means the middle six is getting crowded. It’s not clear yet where Gritsyuk will slot in for the 2026-27 season.

But his style fits. He plays a skill-first game, which could make him a logical candidate to move up and get ice time with stars like Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier or Jesper Bratt. That top-six looks set. The question is whether Gritsyuk earns those reps or starts lower in the rotation.

Cap space is getting tight. After the trade and this extension, PuckPedia has the Devils sitting with just over $9 million available. They’ve still got four pending unrestricted free agents to sort out: Evgenii Dadonov, Zack MacEwen, Paul Cotter and Dennis Cholowski.

Goaltending Remains a Big Question

Without Markstrom, the Devils are thin in net. Jake Allen, 35, is the only NHL-ready goalie on the roster right now. He’s more of a backup at this stage of his career. New Jersey will have to figure out whether free agency or a trade fills the other half of that tandem.

Either way, Gritsyuk earned this extension. One good rookie season doesn’t guarantee a long career, but the Devils are betting he keeps developing into a reliable middle-six piece. The franchise wants to get back to playoff hockey in Newark, and guys like Gritsyuk are part of that plan.