Nikita Gusev began the 2019-20 season as one of the most intriguing players in the NHL, a superstar in his home country who was ready to see how his particular set of skills translated to the best league in the world.



The Devils traded a third-round pick in the 2020 draft and a second-round selection in 2021 to Vegas for the rights to Gusev. They then agreed to a two-year, $9 million contract with a player who was billed as the best in the world outside of the NHL last season.



Gusev, 27, was an enigma at the start of the season. He had four goals and six points in his first 20 games, but opponents often were dominating the Devils in possession when Gusev was on the ice. The coaching staff moved him around the lineup; the Nov. 10 game in Vancouver was the first time Gusev played next to Travis Zajac and Blake Coleman.



Zajac and Coleman have played together for years, and Gusev’s skill set fit with theirs almost immediately. The trio played well in...