James van Riemsdyk might be the best free agent signee the Detroit Red Wings acquired this last offseason.
To be fair, there isn't a whole lot of competition. Mason Appleton played a perfectly fine depth role. Travis Hamonic was nothing short of frustrating. Jacob Bernard-Docker, while performing well enough to earn an extension, did well with the opportunity provided to him.
But few rose to the occasion quite like the 36-year-old van Riemsdyk.
The former second overall pick had a bit of a career resurgence with the Red Wings, posting 15 goals and 16 assists for 31 points in 72 games. While those numbers might not seem particularly impressive, the fact that van Riemsdyk is still able to produce at that clip while playing just 11:45 minutes per night is impressive.
Here's how van Riemsdyk performed overall:
van Riemsdyk succeded at times, disappeared in others
It's unfair to ask a 36-year-old depth forward to consistently turn on the jets every night. While van Riemsdyk wasn't a top performer by any means, he still stepped up to the plate when it mattered. Early on, he gave the bottom-six just enough goal scoring to buoy the Red Wings to an early Atlantic Division lead.
As the rigor of the season went on, van Riemsdyk - and the Red Wings at large - fell off. The scoring they hoped to see from him faded as the team continued to struggle at even strength. That said, however, if your roster collapses without the help of a 36-year-old fourth liner, there are much bigger problems at stake.
van Riemsdyk's 15 goals ranked him sixth on the team in total goals, behind fellow draftee Patrick Kane (16) and Justin Faulk (16, but five scored in Detroit). He gave the team just enough extra oomph to justify his $1M/year salary and more.
That said, van Riemsdyk's time in Detroit, per Kevin Allen, is coming to an end. The Red Wings, per Allen, are moving on from all but Patrick Kane among their unrestricted free agent crop. van Riemsdyk, unfortunately, is one of the five set to part ways with the organization.
Finding van Riemsdyk's replacement
The Red Wings will need to recoup van Riemsdyk's 15 goals somehow. Fortunately, they hve plenty of options at their disposal. It's likely that his spot on the roster will be replaced by a younger player like Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, who fills the same role that van Riemsdyk has in Detroit. If Brandsegg-Nygard doesn't make the cut, the Red Wings could turn to anyone from Carter Mazur to Amadeus Lombardi or Nate Danielson in order to find the right solution.
They can even visit the free agency market, though the options there are relatively limited.
Despite his short time in Detroit, James van Riemsdyk performed exceptionally well with the opportunity he was presented. Here's to hoping he can find another one-year deal with another organization as he rounds out the twilight of his career.
Final Grade: B
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