Maple Leafs’ James van Riemsdyk is not getting the respect he deserves
By Simon Vacca
The future of James van Riemsdyk is a subject of debate among Maple Leafs fans. Lost in this narrative is a sense of recognition of the respect that he has earned.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are one victory away from surpassing a franchise record for wins in a regular season. It’s a pretty remarkable feat for a team that’s only now beginning to be taken seriously by fans of the NHL. And if the plan is to be trusted, this is just the beginning — in the words of head coach Mike Babcock, every win is part of an overarching process geared toward putting “Canada’s team back on the map”.
There’s little doubt that the Leafs’ recent success is largely due to the acquisition of a new guard of players that have taken the NHL by storm. Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander — the so-called “big three” — are rapidly becoming household names in a city wherein winning ways were forgotten for far too long. A responsible goaltender in the form of Frederik Andersen is slowly but surely drawing comparisons to Ed Belfour. The dominance of the Toronto Marlies has even resulted in the widespread excitement surrounding up-and-coming NHLers, as Kasperi Kapanen, Travis Dermott and Andreas Johnsson continue to stun the hockey world.
Amidst the Leafs’ surging spell of talent stands James van Riemsdyk — a 6-foot-3 left winger who is currently in his sixth season of donning the blue and white. As a “veteran” player, he’s seen it all — the heartbreaking game seven loss to the Boston Bruins (2012-13), the worst season in team history (2015-16), and countless bouts of strong play that, to the dismay of many, have usually been met with much consternation. As such, he’s widely perceived as one of the few remaining faces of the Leafs’ old guard.
The question of JVR’s future is one that has divided fans and critics alike over the course of the 2017-18 season. For some, he’s the embodiment of a replaceable force — a winger with little-to-no two-way presence whose roster spot ought to belong to a forward that can marry defensive prowess with offensive accountability. Others, in contrast, will cite the need for competent goal scoring on a team that lacks finesse on the left wing when expressing why he deserves a contract.
There’s little doubt that JVR’s defensive game can — and should — be a subject of scrutiny. But what’s often missing from the debate is a willingness to recognize the consistency that has defined his tenure with the Maple Leafs.
A brief look at van Riemsdyk’s stats paints a picture of a regular 20-30 goal scorer. He’s missed this mark on two occasions during his time with the Buds — both of which can be attributed to shortened seasons, as the 2012-13 lockout and a fractured left foot in 2015-16 hindered his capacity to reach this objective.
Recent performances, however, suggest that it’s not only possible but plausible JVR is edging his way into the 30-40 goal territory. His 29 goals and 33 assists in the 2016-17 season were pivotal to the success of both the Leafs’ power play and the offensive prowess of his linemates. He’s leading the Leafs in goals (34) and has earned another bulk of assists (18) — a particularly impressive achievement for a forward on a team whose offensive depth is frequently hailed as among the greatest in the NHL.
He’s also demonstrated a reasonable level of success in the playoffs. Most notably, he finished third in points on the Philadelphia Flyers’ 2010-11 run to the Stanley Cup final and led the 2012-13 Leafs in postseason points. For a player who has only appeared in the playoffs on five separate occasions, his overall numbers are beyond favorable, as he’s earned 15 goals and 10 assists in 52 games.
As I see it, the most irreplaceable element of JVR’s game lies in his ability to score timely goals. To ignore his pivotal role in the Leafs’ recent home streak of 13 straight wins is to surely commit a fallacy but to disregard his 34 goals is to submit to an atrocity. After all, in a season that’s seen Matthews injured on three separate occasions, early struggles from Marner and Nylander, Nazem Kadri’s career-worst drought and an unfortunate decline in the game of Tyler Bozak, shouldn’t the Leafs value consistency now more than ever before?
Until a decision is made, JVR’s future will continue to occupy the talk circuit of debates over the direction in which the Leafs are progressing. If re-signing the veteran winger will jeopardize the future of any one of Matthews, Marner or Nylander, then perhaps it’s time to bid farewell to the giant whose gentle hands in front of the net are all but unmatched among even the finest scorers in the NHL. But if Jeff O’Neill is to be believed — if, in fact, a “hometown discount” isn’t yet outside the realm of possibility — then the Leafs should put everything they have into convincing their top goal scorer to stay in the 6ix. As any Oilers fan will tell you after the trade of Taylor Hall, a consistent goal scorer isn’t easy to replace.
Next: Statistically Ranking Top 10 Forwards In NHL of this Generation
For now, #LeafsNation owes JVR a formidable degree of respect — the likes of which are sometimes glossed over amidst contentious debates of this nature. He’s seen the best of times and worst of times and will continue to serve as a driving force as the Leafs hope to make their Stanley Cup dreams a reality.