Arseny Gritsyuk expected to receive significant New Jersey Devils contract extension during NHL offseason roster rebuilding direction

The New Jersey Devils are expected to turn their attention to a new deal for winger Arseny Gritsyuk after a strong first full NHL season. The Russian forward quickly turned into an important attacking option and is now seen as part of the franchise's long-term rebuilding direction under general manager Sunny Mehta.One of the biggest talking points surrounding the New Jersey Devils NHL offseason plans is the future of Arseny Gritsyuk after putting up impressive offensive numbers on an entry-level deal. The discussions in the NHL trade rumours and NHL news roundup continue to revolve around whether or not the organization prefers a shorter bridge deal or a long-term commitment.Arseny Gritsyuk is set to get a big pay rise after his breakout season with the New Jersey Devils.The 24-year-old winger provided solid offensive numbers and the ability to play within the team’s top-six forward group.League analysts believe there are two realistic paths for the franchise's offseason negotiations for the NHL. The first option is a shorter deal, two or three years, with a smaller annual salary cap hit.The second option may be a longer extension with a much higher annual average value. Such a deal would also secure Arseny Gritsyuk as part of the future core of the organization, while protecting the franchise from potentially higher costs down the road if his production continues to improve.This conversation has attracted the eye of recent NHL news as the New Jersey Devils still need roster flexibility entering the upcoming season.Arseny Gritsyuk’s development is also a positive for the franchise after an up-and-down campaign. His offensive development gives the coaching staff another reliable scoring option that can contribute in key NHL game situations throughout the season.League-wide expectations are that negotiations could heat up before the start of training camp, even though no formal deal has been struck. The New Jersey Devils seem intent on keeping Arseny Gritsyuk as a big part of the team’s rebuild going forward.