James Van Riemsdyk reportedly signs a PTO with the Seattle Kraken
The former Toronto Maple Leafs player James van Riemsdyk reportedly signed a professional tryout contract with the Seattle Kraken, per multiple sources.
At this stage of the offseason, with only a few days before the start of training camp, teams make final adjustments to their rosters, and PTOs offer great low-risk options. If things don't work out, they can simply end their association without the player's salary affecting the salary cap for the whole season.
Many interesting players were available, and probably one of the best ones out there has taken his name off the list.
Indeed, sources revealed that James van Riemsdyk signed a PTO with the Seattle Kraken:
The 35-year-old veteran, drafted 2nd overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2007, has 1,011 NHL games under his belt. In his career, he scored 629 points, including 311 goals. He also played 82 playoff games and tallied 36 points in eight runs.
James Van Riemsdyk spent most of his career with the Flyers but spent six seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, between 2012 and 2018.
While many fans hoped to see the veteran return to Toronto, with Max Pacioretty's signing, general manager Brad Treliving basically closed the door on that option.
It'll be interesting to monitor the Kraken's training camp to see whether or not van Riemsdyk can impress Ron Francis, Dan Bylsma, and the rest of management, as well as the coaching staff.
There's no denying that the Kraken could use his vast NHL experience to help develop their young players, such as Shane Wright, Matty Beniers, and Berkly Catton, into the stars they're poised to become.
| POLL | ||
Do you think James van Riemsdyk and the Seattle Kraken will reach the playoffs this season? | ||
| Yes | 48 | 33.6 % |
| No | 95 | 66.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
