James van Riemsdyk
Last Year’s Cap Hit: $4,250,000
Last Year’s Stats: 36 G, 18 A, 54 P, 80 GP
James van Riemsdyk is coming off of a 6-year contract and he’s spent the last six seasons in Toronto. Dallas Stars fans probably remember him most recently as the guy that had a hat trick when we played the Maple Leafs this March. He’s coming off one of the better years in his career and the Leafs probably wouldn’t let him walk right now if it weren’t for the sheer amount of young talent waiting in the wings for bigger contracts.
Why the Stars Should Sign Him: With guys like Antoine Roussel likely heading out and a lack of both pure wingers and scoring depth, van Riemsdyk could be the exact thing this team needs to get scoring back on track next season. He hasn’t made it anywhere in the playoffs since the Flyers lost the cup in 2010 and he may be willing to take a short-term deal if he thinks the team is ready for a deep run.
Why the Stars Shouldn’t Sign Him: Cap space. He’s been on a reasonable contract for the last six years and he’s probably looking for more than the Dallas Stars can realistically afford if they’re hoping for some other big signings. This is especially true if he’s looking for length, considering Tyler Seguin needs a new contract. It may be more money than Nill wants to tie up on a player like van Riemsdyk. He’s also 29, so a long contract that may look good now has the potential to come back to bite the Stars in a few years.
Other options include: David Perron, Thomas Vanek.