Devils teammate sees Arseny Gritsyuk as a realistic top-six option entering his second NHL season

The New Jersey Devils are moving into the stretch of the offseason when players start settling into routines, and the internal conversations naturally turn to roles. For Arseny Gritsyuk, that focus centers on a simple question that matters in every NHL lineup: can he be a consistent top-six forward rather than a depth option.

Gritsyuk, 25, is preparing for his second NHL season after a rookie campaign that was described as promising. The narrative around him, at least in team circles as relayed through a Devils teammate, is that his development trajectory could justify a more prominent spot in the forward group.

In the days leading up to the Devils’ regular-season rhythm, the piece frames this as “that time of year” when players begin returning to New Jersey and the team’s facilities, with some already working at RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House and others arriving soon. It sets the stage for the typical preseason refrain, but ties it directly to how a player like Gritsyuk can translate improvement into a clearer on-ice assignment.

The most direct claim in the report is not a forecast of a specific statistical leap, but a belief about opportunity. His teammate’s position is that Gritsyuk has a reasonable path to claiming a top-six role. In hockey terms, that means being relied on for more even-strength minutes, playing more often alongside established offensive players, and facing a higher share of matchups that determine how opponents plan their nights.

The article also underscores timing, emphasizing that Gritsyuk’s second season is when expectations tend to rise for players who showed flashes early. A “promising rookie campaign” can earn a larger sample size in year two, but it also brings scrutiny, because coaches generally expect those gains to become repeatable habits rather than isolated moments.

For Devils supporters, the practical takeaway is that the roster battle for forward minutes is part of what will define New Jersey’s team identity. If Gritsyuk indeed pushes into the top six, it could change how the Devils structure their lines, how their secondary scoring supports the more established core, and how they distribute responsibility across the lineup.

The broader watch item is straightforward as the offseason turns into preseason. How the Devils view Gritsyuk’s readiness, what kind of line assignments he receives early in training and exhibition action, and whether coaches and teammates continue to talk publicly in terms of a top-six ceiling will offer the first true indicators of whether this belief becomes a coaching plan.