James van Riemsdyk To Boost Flyers’ Playoff Chances After Returning From Injury

One of the biggest and best free agent acquisitions over the summer was the return of James van Riemsdyk to the Philadelphia Flyers for his second stint in the City of Brotherly Love. Let’s face it, when you can land another team’s top scorer, the Toronto Maple Leafs‘, without giving up anything in return there’s reason to celebrate. The 29-year-old will be playing relatively close to home again since he hails from Middletown, New Jersey. Van Riemsdyk skated for three seasons with the Flyers after being drafted in 2007 with the second overall pick. He was then traded to the Leafs for young defenseman Luke Schenn, but he’s back in Philly now after signing a $35 million, five-year deal a few months ago.

Van Riemsdyk played 196 regular-season games with Philadelphia from 2009 to 2012 and chipped in with 47 goals along with 52 assists for 99 points. The Flyers then made the mistake of trading the forward as he evolved into a fine goal scorer with an exceptional touch from in close. He posted 294 points for Toronto in 413 contests on 154 goals and 140 helpers and led the squad in goals last year with a career-tops of 36. The Leafs took a step forward when acquiring him, but then negated it by allowing Van Riemsdyk to leave for nothing after the 2017/18 campaign. It was an odd move losing their top sniper for nothing rather than trading him at the deadline.

Heading into the current season Van Riemsdyk had played 609 regular-season encounters and had scored 201 goals and 192 assists for 393 points. He’d also helped out with 29 points in 59 postseason contests. His numbers haven’t changed much since though as he was injured in the second game of the season and didn’t return to the lineup until November 15^th. His return to the side was a triumphant one as Van Riemsdyk scored a goal and added two assists in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in his second game back and fourth outing of the season.

Philadelphia’s chances of making the playoffs and challenging for the Stanley Cup are certainly better with JVR in the lineup and helping out on the power-play. He returns to a team which already has some pretty good offensive talent in Wayne Simmonds, Claude Giroux, Sean Couturier, Jakub Voracek, Travis Konecny and Nolan Patrick. The Flyers finished last season with 98 points and in third spot in the tough Metropolitan Division. But once the playoffs faced off they were hurt by a lack of offensive depth when they were outscored by the Pittsburgh Penguins 28-15 and eliminated in half a dozen games.

The Flyers were playing just .500 hockey at the quarter mark of this season and Van Riemsdyk’s return couldn’t have come at a better time. He’s one of league’s best scorers at close quarters to the net, much like Phil Esposito was, and has worked hard on the skill off roofing the puck and scoring on deflections from just a few feet out. This resulted in 11 power-play and 25 even-strength markers last season. He may be 34 years old at the end of his contract, but Van Riemsdyk’s been playing better each season. His goals-per-game average has risen in each of the the past four years from 0.33 to 0.44.

Van Riemsdyk was comfortable returning to the Flyers since Giroux, Voracek, Couturier and Simmonds were all with the club when he first arrived after being drafted. His second go round in Philadelphia comes with high expectations though due to the success he enjoyed with the Leafs. He’s depended on to supply goals both at even strength and with the man advantage. Now that his knee’s healed he’ll camp out in front of the net where he’s comfortable and tough to move at 217 lbs and 6-feet-3-inches in height. If the Flyers’ struggling power-play suddenly starts to improve, you’ll know the reason why.