"You guys understood him?"
"You guys understood him?"
Paul Cotter posed that question with a smirk on his face when he discovered that the local media spoke to his new linemate, Arseny Gritsyuk.
The young Russian is one of the most exciting players at the New Jersey Devils' training camp this season, as he finally transitioned his game to North America.
Since arriving in New Jersey, Gritsyuk has utilized one of his teammates as a translator for his interviews, whether it be Evgenii Dadonov or Dmitry Ozipov.
Thankfully for Cotter, hockey is a universal language.
"We are all hockey guys," Cotter told The Hockey News on Thursday. "We all kind of speak the same language and talk the same."
Devils' head coach Sheldon Keefe has kept Gritsyuk and Cotter together for the majority of camp. For Cotter, there is not much of an adjustment to playing with the 24-year-old, given Gritsyuk's ability to convey his point despite his limited English vocabulary.
When on the ice, Gritsyuk reminds Cotter of one of his former Vegas Golden Knights teammates.
"He reminds me a lot of Pavel Dorofeyev," Cotter said. "(He) does his thing. You can count on him not to alter things. He is a shooter. Get him in the spot, and he will make a play. I think he will be a real good player in the League."
Dorofeyev and Gritsyuk are the same age and almost the same stature, with Gritsyuk listed as 6′0″, 195 lb, and Dorofeyev as 6′1″, 194 lb.
The Vegas forward is coming off a season where he scored 35 goals and collected 52 points.
In their first preseason game together, the Devils' newest duo combined for two goals and three points. Gritsyuk picked up the lone assist on Cotter's goal.
"It is great playing with him," Cotter said after the team's first preseason game. "Obviously, it is a whole new league and a whole new world for him, so it looks like maybe it took a period for him to adjust, which is pretty quick. (He is) super skilled. [...] Joyful guy to be around and will be a huge add to our team."
Gritsyuk will need time to adjust to this new chapter of his career and life, and as the winger finds his way, Cotter is more than happy to be by his side.
"Fine by me," Cotter said with a chuckle. "Great player. Makes it easy."
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