The Flyers announced today that James Van Riemsdyk, who is entering the third year of his entry level contract this season, has agreed to a six-year, $25.5 million extension.
The cap hit amounts to $4.25 million per year. JVR will be an unrestricted free agent by the end of the contract.
I have mixed feelings about the announcement. On the one hand, JVR displayed vast improvement from the beginning of last season (when he was briefly benched) to the playoffs, where he was an absolute monster. This extension could very well be a bargain as he continues to come into his own.
On the other hand, the Flyers management are taking a gamble that JVR will continue to improve beyond a 20 goal scorer when there’s limited proof that he can sustain it. That’s their style, though- sign the contract and worry if it causes a problem later.
One thing’s for certain- JVR joins Claude Giroux, Brayden Schenn, and Sean Couturier as the future core of the franchise.
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I like the signing personally. He’s a good change of pace and he’s creative. I like how wide he can get, he can really stretch out the puck for an angle that is deadly to any goalie. If Tim Thomas from the Bruins wasn’t on point so much we would have won it all, and JVR price tag would have went up.