It has been a difficult season for the New Jersey Devils this year, as they sit in seventh in the Metropolitan Division. The Devils have had some resilient wins as of late, but it may be too little too late for the team.
Now, more bad news has come for the team, as their 31-point rookie has been shut down for the season due to an upper-body injury, per Ryan Novozinsky of NJ.com.
Arseny Gritsyuk suffered an injury in the 6-4 victory over the Dallas Stars on March 24. He underwent imaging the next day and was initially declared day-to-day. Still, after further testing, it was decided he would be week-to-week, and with just eight games left in the season, head coach Sheldon Keefe has decided to pull the plug on his season.
The 25-year old rookie was the 129th overall pick of the 2019 NHL Draft. Still, he stayed in the KHL with Avangard Omsk and SKA Saint Petersburg. When his contract ended in the KHL, Gritsyuk signed a one-year entry-level contract with the Devils for the 2025-26 campaign.
He has had a stellar campaign in his first year, finding the back of the net 13 times while adding 18 helpers in 66 games. He also had two goals and three assists on the powerplay.
The Devils are 38-34-2 on the year, which not only places them in seventh in their division, but also ten points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. With just eight games left in the season, the Devils are all but eliminated from the playoff race.
