Devils' Arseny Gritsyuk to Miss Remainder of Season

New Jersey is headed towards a second consecutive playoff miss, sitting 10 points out of a wild-card spot with only eight games remaining.

Gritsyuk appeared in 66 games this season — including five power-play points and 149 shots.

Devils to Play Rest of Season Without Arseny Gritsyuk

When he was only 21, Gritsyuk also received the Alexei Cherepanov Award as the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) Rookie of the Year.

The Devils are near the very bottom of the Metropolitan Division with 78 points across a 38-34-2 overall record.

Keefe previously told team reporter Amanda Stein that Gritsyuk was originally considered week-to-week following the injury against Dallas, but that the Devils are now aware the injury could linger if not properly addressed. The nature of the injury is currently still undisclosed, but he was scheduled to undergo imaging on April 1. Keefe also mentioned he is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for next season.

New Jersey signed Gritsyuk to a one-year, $925,000 contract in the offseason, with him being set to become a restricted free agent after this season.

The Devils will host the Washington Capitals on April 2; puck drop is slated for 7:30 p.m. EST. Including the game against the Capitals, New Jersey only has eight games remaining in the regular-season.

Gritsyuk — who is also referred to as "Grits" or "Gritsy" — also released a statement saying how his first season in the NHL brought him all the best emotions, and that fans can expect to see him soon.

"Hello everyone, I haven't been here for a long time and I'm returning with such news. Unfortunately, my first season in the NHL has ended prematurely; I need surgery and recovery afterwards. This is a forced measure for now, and I hope this injury won't bother me in the future," Gritsyuk said in a statement put out by the Devils. "The first season and the first emotions from the NHL are definitely out of this word: new arenas, the best players in the world, cool organizations, and full stands everywhere. Thank you fans for your support; I will be in touch more often to tell you how the recovery is going. Hugs and see you soon."