Life According to Grits | FEATURE

There are few who have as much fun in life as Arseny Gritsyuk, it would appear.

From somewhere on the globe with shoddy, but manageable WIFI, Gritsyuk smiled from ear to ear, green trees in the background. His English, he says, is a bit rusty after not speaking it since he left New Jersey at the end of the Devils’ season.

He says, " Talk slow, please; I might need translator."

My ears perked up, after working alongside Gritsyuk for the last year, I've managed to speak fluent Grits. When he needs it, I happily chime in to slow down the question and speak in simple terms. 

That's the thing about Grits, as he's affectionately known. Everyone wants to be there for him, everyone wants to support him, everyone just wants to be around him.

Because he's as charming as they come. 

Truthfully, his English was great, and his personality was just as charming as it was when he left. And there was an added excitement in his voice, knowing that he had his three-year contract in hand to remain a New Jersey Devil.

“I am enjoy rink, enjoy fans,” he said, “I seriously love New Jersey Devils.”

Being able to return to New Jersey for the next three years means a lot to him, in his first year in North America, where everything, every day was new, he has a different ease about heading into this next season.

“I know this league's so hard,” he said. “And I need to be ready for this new season, and that.”

It was remarkable to watch Gritsyuk seamlessly fit in among his Devils teammates last year. Even with the language barrier, he made it work. He credits those early days of feeling comfortable to his captain, Nico Hischier.

“I was a little bit scared because this for me, new team, new guys, and I play for everybody on PlayStation, and now I sit on one table with them,” Gritsyuk said. “And Nico come to me and start speaking about team, about my hockey game. But we practice couple weeks, and we have this dinner. And he tell me a couple of words that helped me in my first season.”

Those words from Nico to make Gritsyuk feel comfortable really paid off. In his rookie season Gritsyuk played 66 games and recorded 31 points, chipping in 13 goals and 18 assists. And more importantly, he became a catalyst to making lines better. On multiple occasions head coach Sheldon Keefe pointed to Gritsyuk making lines better, and when removing him, the line would struggle.

After undergoing a shoulder procedure late in the year, Gritsyuk has been spending the first part of the summer rehabbing. He’s clearly gotten his body into a good spot, saying he’s been playing tennis and volleyball while on vacation. On Monday he’ll start skating again in Moscow.

When he hits that ice to start skating with a couple of other Russian NHL players, his speed will be where his focus is. He wants to improve his skating; he wants to keep up with the best of the best in the league.

“I think, it's skating because you see Quinn Hughes, Jack Hughes, Cale Makar is best skater in the league. Like Connor McDavid, also,” he said.

That’s no easy feat, but if we’ve learned anything about Gritsyuk last season, it’s that he’s a smart player, unlikely to make the same mistakes twice.

"The more time that passes, this is just a complete hockey player," Keefe said midway through last season. "Smart player, you know he made a few mistakes early in preseason that we talked to him about, and he’s able to make quick adjustments; he really hasn’t made the same mistake since. Grits, when he doesn’t have his best game, there’s a solid foundation there."

 Gritsyuk realizes the value of being a quick learner.

“Sometimes I do stupid fouls,” Gritsyuk says of making mistakes. “And we lose goal, but coach don't talk to me like, "Okay, you sit now." He's like talk after the game or next morning, he talk to me, "It is your fault." I say, "Okay, I got you." Like, "Next time you need to be smarter on this moment." And I think this is biggest lesson for me because faults happen, and you need teach how you play after the faults.”

His first season was still one of learning lessons, lessons he knows will make him better in Year 2. Entering his second NHL season, he has a better idea of what to expect for a long year ahead. Last season, everything was new, this year, he has a much better grasp.

And the Year 2 roster will look different but also have familiar faces, Gritsyuk says. Halfway across the world, he’s been watching general manager Sunny Mehta revamp the club’s roster.

“We have good roster this season, and we have better roster on next season,” he said. “I'm so happy, and I'm so exciting start preseason camp because so interesting for me. Lineups, new guys."

One of those notable guys that Gritsyuk is excited for is Evan Rodrigues.

“Evan Rodrigues, Florida guy? I see his game, but he's so good. I want to practice with him. He's very good skill. He's good battles. He good skater. He's like, maybe I say, it's like what I see, but he's like same Connor Brown, but he's a little bit smaller and a little bit faster. But Connor Brown so fast.”

Gritsyuk joked that he'd probably hear from Brown now that he'd said it. 

It's hard to imagine everything Arseniy Gritsyuk packed into his first season in North America. A new league. A new language. A new culture. A completely different day-to-day life. For most people, that would be overwhelming.

Gritsyuk, somehow, made it all look easy.

Maybe that's because he has the kind of personality that naturally pulls people in. Whether it's his quick smile, his constant jokes, or his infectious enthusiasm, there's a genuine joy about him that's impossible to miss.

Now, after spending the last few months away, there are already things he says he misses. His favorite spot, Tops Diner. Dallas BBQ, although he was quick to point out that it ranked so highly because Evgenii Dadonov picked up the check. And, somehow, even New Jersey traffic.

Yes, really.

According to Gritsyuk, it doesn't even come close to traffic back home in Moscow.

Learning the NHL was one thing. Learning to appreciate New Jersey traffic? That's when you know the adjustment is complete. And he's landed right where he wants to be.