Where does 35-year-old left winger James van Riemsdyk fit best in an NHL lineup?
The past few days have seen a flurry of grizzled NHL veterans sign PTO deals, including Tyler Johnson, Max Pacioretty, Tanner Pearson and Tyson Barrie.
As Adam Proteau wrote, many NHL fringe players are trying to prove they still belong with the world’s best, so they're heading to teams on tryouts.
Among those players is left winger James van Riemsdyk, who is expected to sign a PTO before training camp, according to Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic.
Van Riemsdyk is considered one of the best remaining left wing options available, and that isn’t unjustified.
In 71 games with the Boston Bruins in 2023-24, Van Riemsdyk posted 11 goals and 38 points, which is positive depth scoring. He’s far from the top-six presence he used to be in his Toronto and Philadelphia heyday, but he did provide valuable production through the Bruins’ two playoff series this past spring.
While he hasn’t won a Stanley Cup, he made a trip to the final as a rookie with Philadelphia and brings veteran qualities many teams still value.
Here are five NHL teams that could benefit from van Riemsdyk’s services in 2024-25:
Seattle Kraken
The Kraken finished 29th league-wide in goals last season, so they need more offense. However, van Riemsdyk faces stiff competition for a roster job in Seattle – the club has a lack of center depth, but the opposite is true for its wings.
On the left wing, the Kraken employ Jared McCann, Jaden Schwartz and Brandon Tanev. Fighting for that last slot, van Riemsdyk would have to outplay youngster Tye Kartye, newcomer Mitchell Stephens and possibly Ben Meyers and John Hayden, who will also be hungry for roster spots.
That said, van Riemsdyk’s experience is a valuable intangible. And one area that has always been a hallmark of van Riemsdyk’s game is his net-front and power-play abilities. On occasion, that shone through with Boston last year.
Seattle’s power play ranked 17th in the NHL last season and led to the departure of assistant coach Paul McFarland, so the door could open for van Riemsdyk to shine there. Veterans such as Joe Pavelski have shown that deflecting pucks and having a nose for the net are qualities gained through experience as well as skill.
Utah Hockey Club
The NHL’s newest franchise is sure to be open to any possibilities in its first season to gain a competitive edge.
While the Utah (formerly Coyotes) power play was fairly effective last season, clicking at 22 percent, there’s certainly room for van Riemsdyk’s net-front presence on its special teams.
The team also lacks the quantity of regular-season and playoff experience that van Riemsdyk can bring.
New Jersey Devils
Rumors have swirled around this possibility, perhaps because of the uncertainty surrounding New Jersey’s left wing stable. Tomas Tatar and Paul Cotter have both been brought into the fold, but Cotter can also play center or right wing.
There’s perhaps limited special teams potential here, as the Devils boast two electric power-play units that should finish top-10 in the NHL when healthy, but van Riemsdyk is also a big 6-foot-3 body who can help in other ways. If he had a tryout there, he would also increase the compete level in training camp and pre-season for the depth spots.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Whenever there’s an opportunity to bring home a former Maple Leaf, the fan base pays attention.
That’s certainly been the case for van Riemsdyk, who enjoyed his most productive years in Toronto, including a 29-goal, 62-point campaign in 2016-17.
Toronto’s probably less likely than the other destinations here, especially with the Leafs locking up left winger Nick Robertson and bringing in Max Pacioretty on a PTO. They still have to clear cap space as well. Still, the Leafs' projected left side is young and unproven, with Matthew Knies, Bobby McMann, Robertson and Connor Dewar as some currently signed players.
Van Riemsdyk has shown before he isn’t afraid of a second go-around with a former team. He had stints with the Flyers from 2009 to 2012 and 2018 to 2023.
Montreal Canadiens
Much more so than Toronto, the Habs have a dearth of offensive experience that van Riemsdyk would certainly shore up. Brendan Gallagher, Joel Armia and Josh Anderson are the only forwards who are at least 30 years old, so van Riemsdyk could help mentor the youngsters and be a trade chip later on.
Montreal has also struggled mightily on the power play, finishing 27th league-wide in 2023-24. Montreal has sharpshooters, but they could use a net-front guy to take out the trash once in a while.
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