When the 2007 NHL Entry Draft was underway, the top two picks were Patrick Kane to the Chicago Blackhawks and James van Riemsdyk to the Philadelphia Flyers. James van Riemsdyk became a solid NHL winger between two stints in Philadelphia and other tenures with the Toronto Maple Leafs and, most recently, the Boston Bruins. James, currently a free agent, has been a solid complementary scorer for the teams he has played on. In 1,011 regular-season games, he accrued 311 goals and 318 assists for 629 points. He also has 36 playoff points in 82 games (21 goals and 15 assists). The 35-year-old has had a stellar career in the league. However, he is not the only one in the family who has been significant in the NHL.
Not too long after James entered the league, his brother Trevor also signed as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks. It has been a long and prosperous career for the younger van Riemsdyk. He had stints with both the Blackhawks and Carolina Hurricanes, before coming to the Washington Capitals. He has been a nice complementary talent on the backend, and his strengths bolster a Capitals defense that already has great defensemen.
Becoming a Capital
Trevor went to the University of New Hampshire, where he played in parts of three campaigns with their hockey team. His best statistical season came in 2012-13, when he scored eight goals and provided 25 assists for 33 points in 39 games. He then inked a contract with Chicago, where he made his NHL debut during the 2014-15 season. He mostly suited up for the Blackhawks, but also spent time in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Rockford IceHogs. He had an assist in 18 games with Chicago. He joined an experienced defensive core that had the likes of Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Michal Rozsival, and Johnny Oduya.
During his three seasons in Chicago, van Riemsdyk put up the following stats:
- 2014-15: one assist in 18 games
- 2015-16: three goals and 11 assists for 14 points in 82 games
- 2016-17: five goals and 11 assists for 16 points in 58 games
In addition to those regular season numbers, van Riemsdyk also played in three postseason runs, including the Blackhawks’ third Stanley Cup victory in 2015 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He also got his first playoff points during the 2016 postseason, finishing with a goal in seven games.
Related: Game of Numbers: 2015 Stanley Cup Winners Edition
After three seasons with the Blackhawks, van Riemsdyk was claimed by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 Expansion Draft. Despite this, he never played a game for the new club, as he was traded by the Golden Knights to the Hurricanes. The full deal was van Riemsdyk along with Vegas’ 2018 seventh-round selection for a 2017 second-round pick.
Van Riemsdyk played in three campaigns during his stint in Carolina. He amassed the following while playing for the Hurricanes:
- 2017-18: three goals and 13 assists for 16 points in 79 games
- 2018-19: three goals and 11 assists for 14 points in 78 games
- 2019-20: one goal and seven assists for eight points in 49 games
Van Riemsdyk provided some nice depth on defense for a blue line core that included Dougie Hamilton, Justin Faulk, Jaccob Slavin, and Brett Pesce among others. However, after the 2019-20 campaign, van Riemsdyk left as a free agent and signed a one-year deal with the Capitals.
Van Riemsdyk Playing His Best Hockey in Washington
Since coming to D.C. in 2020, van Riemsdyk has found a fit and has played some of his best hockey. His career high so far in points was as a Capital during the 2022-23 season. During that campaign, he collected seven goals and 16 assists for 23 points in 75 games. In fact, below are all of his regular-season stats since arriving in Washington:
- 2020-21: one goal and two assists for three points in 20 games
- 2021-22: one goal and 16 assists for 17 points in 72 games
- 2022-23: seven goals and 16 assists for 23 points in 75 games
- 2023-24: 14 assists in 70 games
In the playoffs for the Capitals, van Riemsdyk also has a combined two points (one goal and one assist) in nine playoff games (accumulated between the 2021-22 and 2023-24 postseasons).
Van Riemsdyk is currently signed to a contract with Washington that does not expire until 2026. He is going to continue to provide nice defensive depth alongside teammates like John Carlson, newly-signed Matt Roy, newly-acquired Jakob Chychrun, and Rasmus Sandin among others.
While Trevor may not be a forward or score as many points as his brother James does, he has made a defensive impact everywhere he has played. He had a positive impact in both Chicago and Carolina, and the Capitals have kept him around ever since they brought him aboard in 2020. Unless a transaction occurs, he will be suiting up for Washington for a couple more seasons, and he will continue to play an important role on the Caps’ defense.
