VOORHEES, N.J. — As expected, James van Riemsdyk became a former Flyer on Day 1 of NHL free agency.
The 34-year-old winger signed a one-year, $1 million deal with the Bruins.
Last season was not expected to finish with van Riemsdyk in a Flyers jersey. His age, expiring contract and goal-scoring strength made him the Flyers' most clear-cut candidate to be traded at the March 3 deadline. But, surprisingly, van Riemsdyk was not moved. A week after the trade deadline, the Flyers fired Chuck Fletcher as president of hockey ops and general manager.
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The organization is now amid a rebuilding offseason.
At his end-of-the-season press conference in April, van Riemsdyk was forthright about his disappointment with how the deadline unfolded.
"I'm obviously extremely proud to be a Flyer, play for the Flyers for as many games as I have, as many years as I have," van Riemsdyk said. "That being said, yeah, that was probably one of the more disappointing things that I've gone through just for a whole host of reasons. Definitely disappointed, I guess, that I wasn't able to get that opportunity."
On Saturday, his five-year, $35 million contract in Philadelphia officially expired, ending van Riemsdyk's second stint with the Flyers. The Middletown, New Jersey native was drafted by the team in 2007 and went to the Stanley Cup Final in 2010 as a rookie. In his reunion with the Flyers, van Riemsdyk made the playoffs just once over his five-year deal and it came in the Toronto bubble with no fans (2020 after the COVID-19 pause).
NHL
"I think that's why we all play, is to get a chance to win and be in that environment," van Riemsdyk said three days before the trade deadline. "Playoff hockey is the most exciting brand of hockey to play. From that level of it, every year that you're watching it on TV at home, it sucks. You want to be there and you want to be playing in it. Especially the longer you go in your career, you realize how hard it is to win and how you have to really cherish every chance you get at that."
In 2022-23, van Riemsdyk had 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) over 61 games. He missed 20 games and the whole month of November with a fractured left index finger.
In the Flyers' second-to-last game of the season, van Riemsdyk scored his 300th career NHL goal.
"It's exciting to get it before the season ends here," he said, "and I know I've got quite a few more left in me still."
With the Bruins, van Riemsdyk should have a good chance at another playoff run.
"He was always a great teammate, that's the one thing you remember about James," Flyers general manager Danny Briere said Saturday. "Treated everybody with class, with respect. Never rocked the boat, he was easy to get along with. Great person off the ice.
"He was a really good example for our young guys as far as the dedication, taking care of himself off the ice, putting in the time on the ice, working on the stuff that made him special."
More: Briere stays course, keeping eyes open as Flyers' rebuilding offseason continues
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