The Boston Bruins have signed left winger James van Riemsdyk to a one-year contract worth $1 million. Elliotte Friedman of SportsNet first reported the news.
The Philadelphia Flyers selected van Riemsdyk with the second-overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. He’s played 14 NHL seasons between the Flyers and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Bruins Add van Riemsdyk
The 34-year-old had arguably the best all-around season of his career for the Flyers in the shortened 2020-21 campaign with a solid defensive effort and better versatility in his offensive game as a playmaker. He regressed significantly in 2021-22, although he still led the team in goals with 24. He showed flashes of skill with 12 goals and 17 assists in 2022-23, but he failed to regain a consistent rhythm.
He is well-liked by teammates and the media, and he was Philadelphia’s player representative for the NHLPA before handing the title over to Travis Sanheim last year. A seasoned professional with a good reputation around the league will easily fit into the new locker room in Boston.
Fit with Bruins
The former University of New Hampshire star has connections to the New England area. He will step in as a veteran presence for a team waiting to hear if they’ll lose either or both of their two trusted veteran centers David Krejci and captain Patrice Bergeron. van Riemsdyk has scored 300 career goals in 940 regular-season games and 20 goals in 71 playoff games. Boston shouldn’t rely on him as a top-six caliber player capable of scoring 30 goals in the late stage of his career. However, the $1 million efficiently adds some offense to their lineup to offset potential major losses.
He has used his 6-foot-3 frame to become a valuable net-front presence on the power play throughout his career. However, his role on the man advantage faded by the end of his tenure in Philadelphia, and he scored only two power-play goals in 2022-23.
The $1 million salary doesn’t come as much of a surprise after the events surrounding the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline. van Riemsdyk looked like a no-brainer as a trade candidate, but he remained with the Flyers for the rest of the season. Former general manager Chuck Fletcher spoke bluntly on the record about how no team had interest in acquiring van Riemsdyk, even if the Flyers had retained a portion of his salary.
Legacy with Flyers
The news wraps up an interesting legacy for a player they selected with the second-overall pick. After their worst season in franchise history in 2006-07, the Flyers fell to the second spot in the draft lottery even though they finished with the worst record. The Chicago Blackhawks selected Patrick Kane with the first-overall pick, and he has outperformed van Riemsdyk significantly throughout their respective NHL careers.
Related: 2023 NHL Free Agency Tracker
After dealing van Riemsdyk in 2012, they reunited with their former top prospect on a five-year, $35 million contract in 2018. It was their most expensive and most prominent free agent acquisition during the tenure of general manager (GM) Ron Hextall.