James van Riemsdyk

Lore & Background

Van Riemsdyk began playing ice hockey around age five at a rink in Old Bridge, New Jersey, and spent years with the American Eagles and Brick Hockey Club. He attended Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, New Jersey, making the varsity team as a freshman, and later left to join the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he befriended Patrick Kane. He played college hockey for the University of New Hampshire for two seasons, leading the team in scoring as a sophomore before signing an entry-level contract with the Flyers.

After his NHL debut in 2009, van Riemsdyk had strong playoff performances for the Flyers, including helping the team come back from a 3–0 deficit in the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals. Injuries sidelined him for most of the 2011–12 season. In the 2012 offseason, the Flyers traded him to the Maple Leafs for defenseman Luke Schenn. He played on the top line with Tyler Bozak and Phil Kessel, and later under coach Mike Babcock was paired with Nazem Kadri and Leo Komarov. A foot fracture shut him down in January of one season, but he later set personal records in single-season point totals and single-season goals, and scored the 20,000th goal in Maple Leafs history.

Van Riemsdyk became a free agent after the 2017–18 season and signed a five-year contract with the Flyers. In his first season back, he was sidelined 16 games with a lower-body injury but returned for 27 goals including two hat tricks. The following two seasons featured goal droughts and hot streaks. He scored his 500th career NHL point in February 2021. He has also represented the United States internationally, including at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Reader's Guide

James van Riemsdyk's career is notable for his consistent offensive production across multiple NHL teams, beginning with his selection second overall in the 2007 draft. His early years with the Flyers included a memorable playoff run in 2010, where he contributed to the first team comeback from a 3–0 series deficit since 1975. After being traded to the Maple Leafs, he became a key top-line forward alongside Tyler Bozak and Phil Kessel, and later set personal records in points and goals. He also scored the 20,000th goal in Maple Leafs history. Returning to the Flyers as a free agent, he continued to produce, including two hat tricks in his first season back. His international play for the United States, including the 2014 Winter Olympics, adds to his profile. Van Riemsdyk's career reflects a durable scoring forward who has adapted to different team systems and roles over more than a decade in the NHL.

Did You Know?

• Van Riemsdyk was drafted second overall in the 2007 NHL entry draft, behind Patrick Kane.
• He scored the 20,000th goal in Toronto Maple Leafs history.
• He recorded his first Gordie Howe hat trick on February 15, 2011, against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
• His No. 21 jersey was retired by the Ocean Ice Palace in New Jersey in 2013.