James Van Riemsdyk has been a player that could produce more, and show more in Philly. He’s a goal scorer and can be streaky at times. Somehow even with his streakiness the majority of the time he ends up with 20 to 30 goals per season. This year is a year that he was searching for consistency, and he’s off to a great start in proving that he can do just that, “I think we all know we haven’t played our best yet this season,” van Riemsdyk said following Monday’s loss to Buffalo, “We were able to find ways to win the first two games and obviously tonight, it’s going to catch up with you eventually. Ultimately, we know we have a lot more to give and a lot better to play. I think obviously we have to get back to playing the way that we can.”
The reason I included that quote above is JvR has been on a tear as of late (2g,2a in his last four games played), and he is also providing a net front presence on the Power Play. He provided a big Power Play goal on Thursday against the Boston Bruins by providing an excellent net front presence. JvR seems to be skating better, he’s making himself look bigger, and JvR is just playing a good two-way game, “I thought a guy like James tonight showed the way,” Flyers Head Coach Alain Vigneault said following Tuesday’s victory against the Buffalo Sabres, “It was intense. It was physical in his compete. He didn’t get on the score sheet, but he did a lot of other things tonight that I noticed and my other coaching staff noticed. Overall this was a game we had to bounce back from our performance yesterday. I thought our group showed some good character and found a way to win against a good team.”
JvR needed a bounce back year following the playoffs last year, and to prove that he is not dead weight. He was very inconsistent last year, but this year he has tallied three goals, and two assists for five points in five games played to include two Power Play goals. JvR had just four Power Play goals last season, so he couldn’t have envisioned a better start, “We all like the team that we have, and I think we have a good of chance as anyone and now we have to go out there and execute and show it and play to our potential,” JvR said back in training camp, “Ultimately, we are all excited to be a part of a team like this and that is the most important part.”
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van Riemsdyk is a class act, and he knows full well that there was another gear he could get to. This is his moment to turn make fans believers. Sports is a crazy business. One moment a player could be down in the dumps, and the next he/she could have a bigger role. Enter JVR, a guy who knows how to put the biscuit in the basket. This is now JVR’s chance at redemption with the Flyers and the fans of Philadelphia.
