As training camp approaches, the Boston Bruins have been linked to potential Professional Tryout Offers (PTOs) to two veteran forwards, Blake Wheeler and Kailer Yamamoto. The Bruins have added Elias Lindholm to play top-line center but currently have an opening at second-line right wing. Providence Bruins forwards Georgii Merkulov and Fabian Lysell are candidates to fill that void with a good camp, however, General Manager Don Sweeney might be looking for more proven, safer options, at least to begin the 2024-25 season.
Another veteran who could be a reliable option is James Van Riemsdyk, who spent the 2023-24 season with Boston and is a free agent without a contract. Van Riemsdyk is a 35-year-old wing who plays primarily on the left side but could provide some insurance as Danton Heinen did before last season by signing a PTO with the club. Van Riemsdyk started well last year but tailed off as the season went along, finishing with 11 goals and 27 assists in 71 regular season games. The 6-foot-3, 207-pound forward chipped in a goal and four assists in 11 postseason games.
Overall, Van Riemsdyk has scored 311 goals with 318 assists in 1,011 regular season contests. The Middletown, New Jersey native is a solid veteran option if the prospects in line are not quite ready. A PTO would make sense for Van Riemsdyk, who was a good presence in the locker room and knows what it takes to play in the NHL. The former UNH star’s legs might be heavy at 35 years old, but his willingness to go to the net and be a threat on the power play still makes him a viable choice for any NHL team.
Ideally, Van Riemsdyk would like to sign a one-year contract, but with time ticking away in the offseason, a more comfortable bet might be to stay in Boston, a team on the East Coast with which he is familiar. And for Boston, the team might feel the same sense of comfort.
