NHL veteran winger James van Riemsdyk was among the few remaining free agents without a team until the Columbus Blue Jackets announced on Sunday they had signed the former Bruins forward to a one-year, $900,000 contract for the 2024-25 season.
"James van Riemsdyk has been a very consistent, productive player through his career," Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said, per the team. "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."
van Riemsdyk tallied 11 goals and 27 assists across 71 games with the Bruins during the 2023-24 campaign and added one goal and four assists in 11 playoff games with Boston.
Before joining the Bruins, van Riemsdyk played eight seasons for the Philadelphia Flyers and six seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 15-year veteran has played 1,011 NHL games, amassing 311 goals and 318 assists.
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The 35-year-old is no longer the offensive threat he was early in his career, but he should add some punch to the Blue Jackets' middle-six forward corps. With Sean Monahan or Adam Fantilli as his center, van Riemsdyk can show off what he still has left in the tank.
The Blue Jackets finished last in the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference last season, missing the playoffs for the fourth straight season.
Featured image via John E. Sokolowski/Imagn Images
