The Wild should consider taking a gamble on this free agent forward.
The Minnesota Wild have made a handful of additions to their roster this summer. While this is the case, they should be open to making more moves before the start of the season.
It would not hurt for the Wild to bring in another winger to strengthen their depth. When looking at the remaining UFA forwards out there, James van Riemsdyk could be an intriguing option for Minnesota to consider.
While van Riemsdyk is not the same top-six winger he was during his prime years, he would still have the potential to give the Wild a bit more secondary scoring. The 37-year-old forward did just that for the Detroit Red Wings this past season, posting 15 goals and 31 points in 72 games. This was after he recorded 16 goals and 36 points in 71 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2024-25.
With offensive totals like this, he could be a solid veteran forward for the Wild to take a chance on with a professional tryout (PTO). If he impressed during it and earned a contract of the season with the Wild, he would offer them another option for their bottom six and potentially their second power play unit.
It will be interesting to see if the Wild end up taking a chance on a forward like JVR before the start of the season from here.
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