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Arseny Gritsyuk Is Playing His Best Lately, Yet Keefe Thinks He Can Do More
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- Arseny Gritsyuk Is Playing His Best Lately, Yet Keefe Thinks He Can Do More
The New Jersey Devils have multiple skilled players in their lineup, with Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Nico Hischier leading the way. Yet, Arseny Gritsyuk is starting to stand out. The young forward not only picked up where he left off from a 31-point rookie season but is taking his play to another level.
Gritsyuk's skill has been on full display lately. He has four goals in the last four games and seven points in the first 10 games of the season. It's not just his scoring either; the 25-year-old winger has delivered as a playmaker and in the high-danger areas where he skates to the crease to find the back of the net.
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It's not a coincidence that his best hockey has come lately. The Devils changed up the forward lines, and the offense as a whole has been different, with Gritsyuk being a primary beneficiary.
Gritsyuk Is At His Best Alongside Bratt & Hughes
The opening light lineup had Gritsyuk playing on the Evan Rodrigues line while Anthony Mantha was on the Hughes line. After the loss to the Ottawa Senators, head coach Sheldon Keefe swapped wingers. It makes sense that Gritsyuk has taken off since the move to the Hughes line.
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"I play with great guys, and I need to do my job. I hope it keeps happening," Gritsyuk stated after the 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks, a game where he extended his scoring streak to four games. With Bratt and Hughes as his linemates, Gritsyuk doesn't need to drive the play, and instead, he can just react. "He has that ability to score, and when he's playing with those guys, they're going to help," Keefe added.
This has also been a big season for his development. The young Russian was adapting to the NHL last season, learning a new league and a different world both on and off the ice. He's made significant strides this season and knows what it takes to find the back of the net. "He just knows where to shoot. He has a great shot, and we're going to tell him to keep using it," Bratt added.
Keefe Thinks Gritsyuk Can Get Better
Following the 4-1 win, a game where Gritsyuk once again found the back of the net, Keefe was surprisingly critical of the skilled winger. "I think Gritsyuk has got another level to get to. There were some moments in the game today I really disliked about his play, and we talked with him about that," Keefe stated afterwards.
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He knows there's another level that Gritsyuk can get to, and it's a matter of him leaning into it. He's not just talented on the offensive end, but has the skill sets to become a top player in this league.
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"It's the overall game, and it's not just him; it's every one of our guys," Keefe added. In some ways, the head coach wants to pump the brakes on the hot streak. The Devils have won four of their last five, and Gritsyuk has five points in four games. However, Keefe knows it's a long way to a championship. It's early in the season, and this team has a lot to work on before they are competing with the best in the NHL. Gritsyuk, like many players on the Devils, must reach another level for this team to enter that top tier.
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Where Gritsyuk Must Improve
It's cliché to say that a skilled player must work on their forecheck and their defense. However, for Gritsyuk, it's an area of his game that he'll want to work on the most. He was on the ice when the Ducks scored their only goal on Thursday night.
Moreover, Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe fired the puck from the point, and Gritsyuk was the closest Devil to the puck yet couldn't block the shot as it zipped past him and was deflected into the back of the net. In fairness, it was a great play by LaCombe, a talented two-way defenseman. "He's just so smooth; he's able to get the puck through very well," Ducks teammate Tim Washe noted after the game. That said, it's a goal Gritsyuk and the team want back, and those are the ones they don't want to give up.
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Aside from playing defensively, the big thing for Gritsyuk is taking his play to another level. It's about leaning into his strengths to become a top player, someone who can drive a line of his own someday. Likewise, it's about being in the right position and playing in front of the puck. The young forward will get to that point, and ideally, the Devils see it by the end of the season.
