5 best fits for James van Riemsdyk in NHL free agency

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TORONTO, ON – FEBRUARY 5: James van Riemsdyk #25 of the Toronto Maple Leafs tries a shot between his legs at Ryan Miller #30 of the Anaheim Ducks as Brandon Montour #26 of the Ducks follows the play during the first period at the Air Canada Centre on February 5, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /

1. Anaheim Ducks

Of all the teams that underperformed in the Stanley Cup playoffs, few were as disappointing as the Anaheim Ducks.

After a devastating sweep at the hands of the San Jose Sharks, the Ducks’ roster is in need of some serious revamping. They’ll have a fairly moderate amount of cap space to work with, but a major issue lies in the fact that several players’ futures have yet to be decided. Ondrej Kase and Brandon Montour, for example, are just two youngsters who have played pivotal — and often irreplaceable — roles on Anaheim’s roster. As such, they’ll require pay raises very soon. The likes of Ryan Kesler and Corey Perry can potentially pose additional problems, as the dwindling play of each respective forward only raises uncomfortable questions about the way in which the team’s money is currently allocated.

If the Ducks are serious about contending for the next set of years, they’ll need to secure pieces which ensure that more consistent scoring is a part of the club’s agenda. Just Rickard Rakell surpassed the 30 goal mark in 2017-18, while Adam Henrique and the aforementioned Kase were the only other players to tally 20.

Not only did van Riemsdyk find the back of the net more than anyone on the Ducks’ roster, but he also serves as the ideal player for a team that’s nearing “win-now” territory. This is not to undermine the fact that the Ducks have some valuable pieces lined up for the future, but alternatively a response to the organization’s current cap situation, which sees Kesler, Perry and Ryan Getzlaf being paid hefty sums of money for three to four seasons to come. He’d also amplify the team’s power play, which netted a mere 38 goals (second-worst in the NHL) and succeeded in capitalizing just 17.8 percent of the time (23rd in the league) over the course of the past campaign.

The addition of van Riemsdyk would, without question, be another massive contract for the franchise to undertake. That said, the promise of imperative secondary scoring and prized net-front presence for around five years are major benefits that likely outweigh the potential cost(s) of a contract of this nature.

Next: 5 moves the Maple Leafs can make to get back to the playoffs

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