Alot of players come from the KHL even in their mid 20's and are gone after 1 season. Have you just started watching hockey ? The Devils are hoping that he has what it takes to be a top 6 player that's why they don't mind taking the patient approach. It's so he can potentially jump right into the NHL lineup when he comes over. He is a good prospect but he isn't too good to start his North American career if he was to come over this year instead of staying in the KHL. Look at Kravstov as an example. He was too much of baby to make less money in the AHL and kept going to back to the KHL. He wasn't even good at the NHL level when the Canucks took him in abd let him play every game. Gritsyuk didn't want to take a pay cut that's why he trying to skip the AHL. It's a bit of entitlement so I'm hoping he actually is worth the wait in 2 years.
I watched hockey for a long time. Not only NHL, but euro leagues and even american junior leagues. You would be surprised(because you even diidn`t started watching hockey as I see), but it`s a new norm for russian talented players. Older players who try to started and can`t do it in nhl, are going not only from russia.
And personnally I watched tonns of Avangard in the last two years. And I know what he should work on - on his positional\defensive game without the puck. He isn`t ready in this component for NHL. Especially if YOU are talking about top-6.
Kravtsov is bad example because we are talking about players of different weak and strong sides and different results in KHL. If you are trying to compare, you should do your home work better. For at least you should start to do the homework.
AHL is a weaker league in compare with KHL. As a devils fan, you should know tonns of examples(like Holtz) where players can`t develop their game without the puck. And surprise-surprise, SKA is a team that play in active forechecking hockey, and it`s a great place to develop Gritsyuk`s 200-foot game. I watched tonns of theirs games too(Bardakov). He will play there for wins in every game and for Gagarin`s cup. Not for achiving .500% and for winning one round in AHL.
Gritsyuk signed two years deal to have much more money, develop his game more - he actually said about examples of Kaprisov and Kuzmenko by himself, and having back up plan if things will not go in the right way in NHL. Because for his level of game he will not teach nothing in AHL and will lose a lot of money on longer ELC. That`s it.
