Five reasons the Chicago Blackhawks should trade for James Van Riemsdyk
Trade rumors have circulated tying Toronto Maple Leafs’ left winger James Van Riemsdyk to the Chicago Blackhawks. Should the Blackhawks make the deal happen by any means necessary?
It has already been an aggressive month in regards to NHL trade rumors. For example, Colorado Avalanche General Manager Joe Sakic has come forward with his price regarding team captain Gabriel Landeskog. Sakic is asking for ‘a top level defenseman, a first round pick, and more’ for the 24-year old forward, marking him virtually untouchable at this point in time. That leaves the market wide open for teams to push for Toronto Maple Leafs’ forward James Van Riemsdyk.
Van Riemsdyk has been with Toronto since the 2012-2013 season, making 2017 his his fifth year with the team. With the exception of a mid-season foot fracture in 2016, Van Riemsdyk is typically a reliable player night in and night out. He has already played in every game this season and has four seasons of at least 75 games played in his seven full years as a pro.
There are a number of reasons why a league powerhouse like the Blackhawks should pursue the talented forward. The painful truth is it would cost them one of their beloved defensemen.
The former second-overall draft pick already has 34 points this season, which has him on pace to set a new career high in the category. Van Riemsdyk is scoring roughly .87 points per contest, which is the most productive pace of his career.
Van Riemsdyk is no stranger to scoring goals, either. He has already netted 14 goals this season, which has him tied with Edmonton Oilers’ phenom Connor McDavid, as well as Logan Couture. Van Riemsdyk has scored at least 21 goals in a season three times, and he has one season with 30.
The American-born Maple Leaf has tallied 19 assists this year, which is already the fourth-highest total of his career. What is important to remember, is the Blackhawks are looking for a top tier forward to pair with struggling captain Jonathan Toews. Pairing a tape-to-tape passer like Van Riemsdyk with a prolific play developer like Toews would be incredibly dangerous for opposing teams. The Blackhawks really need to spread the scoring out across their four lines, and acquiring a respectable goal scorer like Van Riemsdyk would be a brilliant move to fix that.
2. Intelligence
James Van Riemsdyk has never been one to take penalties, whether they be unnecessarily drawn or otherwise.
Currently, Van Riemsdyk has only spent 18 minutes in the penalty box this season. That is a low number considering Van Riemsdyk averages over 15 minutes per game. He would mesh well with a team like the Blackhawks, who have spent the second fewest minutes inside the penalty box this season. Head coach Joel Quennville is one of the most intimidating men to play for, and he does not put up with taking stupid penalties.
Van Riemsdyk is as smart a player as they come in other aspects, too. He is capable of developing plays, which is a skill that was highlighted during the 2013-2014 season. Van Riemsdyk consistently played on the same line as the former Maple Leaf great, Phil Kessel. With Kessel as his line mate more often than not, Van Riemsdyk scored a career high 30 goals to go along with 31 assists.
Van Riemsdyk also has incredibly quick hands, which he uses to generate takeaways in the neutral zone. Only twice in his career has the eight-year veteran had more giveaways than takeaways at the end of the season. This year, he already has 18 of such takeaways, compared to just 13 giveaways. Van Riemsdyk regularly takes care of the puck for his young Toronto team.
3. Size and toughness
It is easy to forget how big James Van Riemsdyk really is. At six-feet-three-inches tall and over 200 pounds, Van Riemsdyk is one of the larger forwards in the NHL. He is not known as an enforcer, but he knows how to throw his weight around. Van Riemsdyk has 348 career hits, and he has three seasons in which he has recorded at least 83. Since the departure of the scrappy Andrew Shaw, this is a department in which the Hawks have been consistently outmatched. Chicago ranks second to last in the hits department currently.
The multi-dimensional forward is also capable of using his large frame to block shots. Considering Vain Riemsdyk isn’t the most defensive minded player, the 16 blocked shots he has this season is fairly high. Playing on a line with arguably the best defensive forward in the league could only help this aspect. It could also help Van Riemsdyk’s plus-minus department, which is one of the weakest aspects of his stat sheet.
It is hard to dislike Van Riemsdyk’s durability, as well. The only major injury he’s sustained over the last four years was last season’s foot fracture, which cost him nearly two months. Other than that, Van Riemsdyk has missed just two games since the beginning of the beginning of the 2013-2014 season. He is a player that can withstand punishment, and that is a trait one must have if they want to make a deep playoff run with a contender like the Blackhawks.
4. Cap hit
James Van Riemsdyk carries a cap hit of just 4.25 million dollars, which is manageable for a team with virtually no cap room like the Blackhawks.
According to Cap Friendly, Chicago will have a little over 5 million dollars to play with by the time the trade deadline hits in late February. Assuming the Hawks would deal either Brent Seabrook or Niklas Hjalmarsson to acquire a hot offensive commodity like Van Riemsdyk, it is a move they could certainly afford.
Some more good news regarding Van Riemsdyk’s current contract is that he is signed through next season. In situations like this, players acquired right before the trade deadline are rentals that are set to hit the unrestricted free agent market after season’s end. Van Riemsdyk would get at least two shots to make a playoff run with the Blackhawks, which is something he has not had the chance to do since his rookie campaign. Van Riemsdyk was actually a member of the Philadelphia Flyers’ team that squared off against Chicago in the 2009-2010 Stanley Cup Final. That was the closest Van Riemsdyk has ever been to the Stanley Cup.
Van Riemsdyk would come nearly 1.25 million dollars cheaper than Colorado forward Gabriel Landeskog, and it is likely he would only cost a top tier defenseman or a first round pick; not both. Van Riemsdyk would certainly be the better value, considering he is playing at a much higher level than Landeskog currently is.
5. His little brother is already a Blackhawk
The Blackhawks currently roster a 25-year old defenseman by the name of Trevor Van Riemsdyk. The name is not a coincidence. Trevor is James Van Riemsdyk’s kid brother, and the two would have a chance to become the 48th pair of brothers to play on the same NHL team together. Because the Blackhawks are near certain playoff contenders, they could become the 11th pair of brothers to hoist the Stanley Cup together. Interestingly enough, the Blackhawks have had more brother combinations than any other team in NHL history with 20 of them.
T. Van Riemsdyk has already won a ring with the Blackhawks, as he was on the teams’ roster during their last Cup run two years ago. Like J. Van Riemsdyk, Trevor is signed through the 2017-2018 season. The two would have at least a season and a half to play together before both of them would become free agents.
A move to the NHLs most successful franchise over the last six years would give Van Riemsdyk the best opportunity to earn his first Stanley Cup championship. Don’t think for one second it doesn’t bother J. Van Riemsdyk that his younger brother achieved the ultimate goal during his rookie season. James wants to join the ranks with his brother and immortalize his name on the Stanley Cup.
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