Former Boston Bruin fan favourite revealed to be a trade candidate

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Joshua Deeds
October 12, 2024 (9:58)

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A former Boston Bruins is likely to be on the trade block next trade deadline. Former Bruins fan favorite, and depth forward James Van Riemsdyk could be traded as soon as March.

The 35-year-old forward recently signed a deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets, as the team has needed to hit the salary cap floor.

Van Riemsdyk will add some scoring power to a Blue Jackets team whose lineup has been decimated by attrition and tragedy.

He signed a $900K deal and will have something to prove in 2024-2025 after so many teams passed on him this offseason.

In 71 games with the Boston Bruins, he scored 38 points( 11 G, 27 A) and was utilized on the Bruins power-play.

His new deal didn't contain a no-trade clause, so if the Blue Jackets need to trade him for assets, it shouldn't be an issue.

«James van Riemsdyk has been a very consistent, productive player throughout his career and bringing him to Columbus will not only provide depth to our group up front, but also valuable leadership and another veteran presence in our dressing room,» said Waddell.

Van Riemsdyk was selected in the 1st round of the 2007 NHL draft, 2nd overall, and made his NHL debut in 2009. He spent six seasons in Toronto from 2012 to 2018, before returning to the Philadelphia Flyers as a free agent.

Van Riemsdyk has a lot of veteran leadership for the next team that decides to add him to the fold.

During his 16-year career in the NHL, he's played 1,012 NHL games scoring 629 points( 311 G, 318 A), and has 82 games of playoff experience.

It is puzzling why it took so long to get signed, but he has plenty left in the tank, even when his contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets ends, at age 36.

It took van Riemsdyk months to find a team to sign him without a PTO. He went to Columbus on a one-year deal worth $900,000. Why so few teams wanted to give him a chance is baffling, considering he scored 11 goals and 38 points in 71 games for Boston in 2023-24. This player feels like he has something to prove and could get prime opportunities to score. That could make van Riemsdyk a player teams look at by the trade deadline.