The Boston Bruins have decisions to make on their expiring contracts before free agency opens on July 1. Based on factors such as roster needs and players' talent, we are ranking the 10 most important free agents and predicting their future in Boston.
With just under one month remaining until free agency opens, we will be going over the top 10 free agents for the Boston Bruins.
These are all “in-house” options that they will have to decide between keeping or letting go. This is not covering potential free agent targets on other teams.
Additionally, the ranking has less to do with the talent or production of the player, but rather the importance of the decision. Obviously each player’s ability factors into that determination, but based on the make-up of the roster and the team’s most-pressing needs, a ‘better’ player may not be as big a priority as a player in another position.
You can find the rest of the list so far below:
Today we look at No. 4:
4. James van Riemsdyk, Forward
Age: 35
2023-24 stats: 71 GP, 11G-27A-38P
Previous contract: 1 year, $1 million
Total Years with Bruins: 1
With the Bruins cash-strapped entering 2023-24, general manager Don Sweeney brought in van Riemsdyk for just $1 million against the cap. Even in his 15th NHL season, ‘JVR’ brought top-six scoring upside for cheap.
He started the year on the second-line left wing and instantly made an impact with five points in the first six games. Van Riemsdyk moved around the lineup throughout the season, but consistently provided secondary scoring and popped for multi-point games semi-routinely.
However, after a three-point night against the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 18 put him at 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) in 51 games, van Riemsdyk scored just one more point – an assist – in his final 20 regular season games.
A big reason for that could be a sickness he dealt with which kept him out for an extended period and continued to affect his game down the stretch, but with his scoring dried up, van Riemsdyk was demoted to the fourth line and eventually fell out of the lineup entirely.
He broke a 21-game goal drought in Game 4 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 27, and followed it up with a three-game point streak between the end of the Toronto series and the beginning of the second round against the Florida Panthers.
Still, given how his season ended, it’s fair to wonder if the Bruins will want to run it back. At the same time, with every ‘top nine’ left winger besides Brad Marchand on uncertain terms regarding their future in Boston, he could return to solidify the depth.
Prediction: He walks
Of the 10 players on this list, van Riemsdyk’s situation is probably the toughest to read. I could see a path where he stays, but I ultimately believe the Bruins will use their $20+ million in cap space to help fill out their top six, with Pavel Zacha potentially shifting back to the wing if they get a “true” 1C, for example.
I could also see van Riemsdyk wanting to get a reset elsewhere, given how his season ended and where he stood on the depth chart. At his end of season media availability, van Riemsdyk said he loved his time in Boston, but also pointed out two main factors when it comes to his free agency decision.
“At this stage of my career, it’s all about having a chance to win,” van Riemsdyk said. “And obviously being in a place where it’s a good fit as far as with what you bring to the table and the role that maybe you’re going to be envisioned in.”
The Bruins will check the first box, but his role would be less certain. We’ll see if JVR becomes a one-and-done with the Black & Gold.
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