According to a new source, James van Riemsdyk, a former Toronto Maple Leafs player, has hit rock bottom and is now a PTO candidate.
With NHL training camps quickly coming, teams that still need to fill voids on their roster will hunt for cheap agreements with players. Signing Professional Try Out contracts allows teams to invite players to their training camps to be evaluated without the long-term commitment that comes with a normal contract. With a 25-game limit, if things don’t work out, they won’t be stuck with the player for the entire season.
After failing to reach an agreement with a team on the free agent market, it appears like James van Riemsdyk, a former Maple Leaf, may pursue a PTO. In fact, it could be his only path back to the NHL.
In a new report from Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now, who investigated who could join the Colorado Avalanche on a PTO ahead of training camp, it was stated that Van Riemsdyk could be a strong possibility to join the 2022 Stanley Cup champions.
Rawal discussed how the veteran managed to record 38 points with the Boston Bruins and how his primary difficulty with his game is speed.
Using his own words:
“Does the veteran with over 1,000 games still have anything left in the tank? Can he keep up with the Avalanche? He did score 38 points for the Bruins last season, indicating that he still has some scoring ability, but speed is the major question. Any questions you have about him may be answered during training camp on a PTO.”
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Van Riemsdyk, 35, has played 1011 NHL games for the Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins. He was drafted second overall by the Flyers in 2007 and has since scored 311 goals and 318 assists in the regular season, as well as 36 points, including 21 goals, in 82 postseason games.
