When James van Riemsdyk, 36, signed as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings in the 2025 offseason, the move was met with little fanfare. When general manager Steve Yzerman signed the veteran forward to a one-year deal worth $1 million, many pundits saw the addition as a depth move, possibly a 13th forward on the roster, type of move.
Maybe a way for Yzerman to plug a gap in the bottom six of the forward corps, or just an excuse for Yzerman to leave someone like Elmer Soderblom or Nate Danielson in Grand Rapids for another season.