• December 22, 2024

Flyers Trade James van Riemsdyk for Defenseman Luke Schenn

A year ago today, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter were traded in spite of signing long-term contracts to stay in Philadelphia. The trend continued this evening as James van Riemsdyk, set to begin his six year, $25.5 million contract in July, has been traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for defenseman Luke Schenn.

The loss of JVR opens space on the roster for at least one top six forward. Coming off of an injury raddled season, there was legitimate hope that he would take strides in becoming the power forward that the organization predicted he would be at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Now fans can only wish him success, secretly hoping that he doesn’t prove Paul Holmgren wrong.

In Philadelphia, Schenn will bolster the blue line as another shot-blocking, physical defenseman. At 22 years of age, there is similar hope that he can turn his game around much like Toronto is hoping from JVR. Schenn, however, is a four year veteran of the NHL and has yet to develop into a #1 defenseman.

I’ve noted on several occasions that a Schenn-for-JVR trade, by itself, would be a steal for Toronto. Plain and simple, Schenn has not shown any consistency at the NHL level.

If you’re of the opinion that Matt Carle is a turnover machine or a poor man’s defenseman, you’re going to loathe Schenn by mid-season.  He struggles against top competition and has seen his ice time fluctuate by as much as 5 minutes between seasons.

Schenn does have room to grow, though, and his $3.6 million cap hit is manageable.  He also has the added benefit of playing alongside his brother Brayden, which should ease his transition into Philadelphia.

It’s unlikely that the Flyers will trade for another defenseman at this point.  The asking price for several top-tier defensemen has been Brayden Schenn, and I doubt he gets moved now unless Holmgren just wants to mess with Luke.

Expect at least two forwards to be signed in free agency as well. Heck, Jaromir Jagr may even come back.

For the latest Flyers news and updates, you can follow me on twitter (@JoshJanet).

 

Josh Janet

Josh Janet was raised in Northern New Jersey, but by an odd set of circumstances, is a Philadelphia sports fan. While recently converted to the Phillies, Josh is a diehard Flyers fan and can be expected to stay on top of the latest NHL news.

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2000man
2000man
June 24, 2012 5:33 am

salary dump and chance move….

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
June 24, 2012 9:01 pm

Don’t like this move at all. He was out of the lineup for parts of the year because he was so bad. They are taking a chance when they had a proven commodity to trade. And they are not saving that much money as t they saved about 600k. Makes it worse if they don’t go after another dman because of this.

paulman
paulman
June 25, 2012 10:12 pm

Bad move on the Flyers part, JVR has hurt about 80 % of last season and struggled right from last Pre-Season and could net stay healthy to get in a groove.. If Luke Schenn had a different last name .. I am not even sure this trade even happens.. He’s not that good and was below average on a team (maple Leafs) who needed all the help they can get.. JVR will be a goal scoreer-game changer for the next 7-10 years inthr NHL while Luke Schenn will be a 5th/6th Defenseman.. The Flyers should have at least gotten a Draft Pick in return.. ..

DCar
DCar
June 26, 2012 2:22 am

Paul, have you ever seen Schenn play? Although he makes mistakes & isn’t the swiftest of foot, he is a solid defense-men. He’s young & still growing, he is a hit machine, blocks alot of shots, will clear the crease, fight, & has plenty of time to grow with us. Not to mention, a good cap hit. Some of you guys act like we traded Mario Lemieux for this kid. JVR IS A FREAKING BUM! HE’S A BUST! He had 4 good games (playoffs), in his entire career. Give me a break. It was a good trade & we need to rebuild our DF with good young defense-men. Carle sucks, & does not deserve the $$$ he will be getting, Coburn is overrated, Meszaros is coming off of back surgery & is an iffy defense-men, Timonen is coming off of multiple surgeries & is just about cooked, & Pronger is done! So, I’m all for the move. Now get Schultz, P.A. Parenteau, resign Jake Voracek, trade Coburn/ Meszaros & the rights to Carle & 2 1st rounders for Weber (pipe dream), & we’re set.

paulman
paulman
June 26, 2012 6:25 am

I’ve seen Schenn play a little and he just doesn’t impresess me much.. IObviuosly JVR had a down Season last year and maybe he just needs a change of scenery, but I still think they gave up on hm too soon and that when heathly and focused is a pretty good player… Schenn I see simply as an average D-Man.. Probably the 4th/5th D-Man on the Flyers Roster..

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
June 26, 2012 8:42 am

I definitely think that JVR can be a legit player in the NHL, but I don’t think that this is the GM or the coach for him. They are too impatient.

DCar
DCar
June 26, 2012 10:23 am

JJ, he has done nothing in 3 years. You talk like 21 goals is a major accomplishment. He was the 2nd pick in the draft. SECOND! That warrants more than a 6’3″ so called power forward, who doesn’t hit, doesn’t consistently get in front of the net, tries to be a finess player, disappears for chunks of games, & only has scored 47 goals in 3 years. That’s an average of 16 a year & if you subract the giant, phenomenal, 21 goals, that you think is so great, it’s 13 goals. WOW, that’s potential. He’s a bust & a disappointment, that YES should not have gotten that stupid, ill-advised contract extension. He is too soft & doesn’t work hard enough, to EVER be a 30-35 goal scoring, PF! I don’t know what player that you guys have been watching!? You guys got foolishly, bamboozled, & enamored, just like Homer did, with his mirage, 4 game playoff run. At least Schenn has positives to his game, & legitimately get better. Unless JVR gets both heart & a beanbag transplant, & stops being allergic to physical play, he will be nothiing more than an oversized, under-achieving, 3rd liner.

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
June 26, 2012 10:27 am

I don’t mind that they traded JVR, but i think that other teams valued him and you had potential to get something/someone else for him other than a flawed, mistake prone dman.

DCar
DCar
June 26, 2012 11:07 am

Stop overrating the players. That’s the problem with alot of Flyers fans, you always overrate the players worth. He’s a freaking soft, under-achieving, waste of size, who has a balky hip, & already has had concussion problems. Not to mention, a asinine 6 year, $25.5M. What the hell did you want Weber, Chara, or Nash for JVR? IMHO, we got the best of the deal, that fills a MAJOR need. We have ZERO good young defense-men, that can step right in. We have oodles of solid-good, young forwards, that can replace what the stiff JVR brought us. We did pretty damn good without him, last year. Although, I like MAB, Gustaffson & Mannings potential, not 1 of them are ready to take his spot, nor are better than Schenn. If anyone thinks otherwise, needs to watch another sport.

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
June 26, 2012 12:09 pm

I am not overevaluating the players, I am responding to the things that I read online about teams being interested in Flyers players. Take that for what it is worth.

And BTW- don’t effin lump everyone together that disagrees with you DCAR. You have a nice habit of thinking that anyone who disagrees with you is stupid or ignorant and it GD annoying.

DCar
DCar
June 26, 2012 12:42 pm

Schenn & Couturier, were rookies, that brought other facets to their game. Stupid comparison. Richards was exactly like Couturier, a 2 way player & Carter scored 23 goals as a rookie, so 2 more bad comparisons. JVR BRINGS NOTHING! 6’3″, is soft, doesn’t hit, plays David Copperfield, doesn’t kill penalties, doesn’t play on the PP, can’t create room on the ice & has an albatross of a contract. WHAT DOES HE BRING BUT THIS PHANTOM POTENTIAL? NOTHING! Schenn is already, one of the top physical defense-men in the league. He just needs to make better decisions. That can be corrected, having a heart & a pair of balls can’t be. It’s a good trade & you’ll see who is better, when Schenn becomes a top 4 defense-men & JVR stays stuck in mediocre land, with a ton of injuries, & never hits the 30 goal mark. Especially if Burke puts him at center, the way he is talking. We agree, to disagree. bugsy, you did overrate him. You said, & I quote, “but i think that other teams valued him and you had potential to get something/someone else for him other than a flawed, mistake prone dman.” That’s an overvaluing of a player. The way Homer fleeces teams, don’t you think he could have gotten more, if he could? I could care less if you disagree with me. Sorry, but you’re wrong!

paulman
paulman
June 26, 2012 12:50 pm

Did JVR put a gun to Holmgrem’s head and demand that big contract.. That was Holmgrem’s fault.. By they extension, that only put more pressure and needless expectations on a 2 year player.. Poor Roster/Contract Management again by Holmgrem.. Everyone is so high on him, I think he has no business being a GM

paulman
paulman
June 26, 2012 12:52 pm

Then you stick GM HOlmgrem with Owner Ed Snider and it’s a remake of
“Dumb and Dumber” in my opinion which is why Flyers will never reached the Top and win a Stanley Cup as long as those 2 Clowns are around..

mhenski
mhenski
June 26, 2012 8:44 pm

Paulman how much do the eagles pay you?

paulman
paulman
June 26, 2012 10:38 pm

About $160K mhenski if you really need to know.. I can’t help if I’m lucky..

DCar
DCar
June 27, 2012 12:12 am

Paul, Snider is so dumb, that he is a self made Billionaire. Yeah, he is real dumb! If only you were that dumb, & not an armchair GM. His problem is he is too aggressive, & loyal to a fault. That’s his problem.

paulman
paulman
June 27, 2012 8:52 am

Snider is a “Coward, Theif and he Steals” besides being a NHL GM Wanna-Be
He’s the Jerry Jones of the NHL