The Detroit Red Wings sought to add depth in NHL Free Agency this summer. Detroit has missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of the last nine seasons. And they need to fortify the roster if they want to end this drought. In free agency, the Red Wings signed forwards James van Riemsdyk and Mason Appleton, as well as defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker.
All three players can serve various roles in Detroit’s lineup. Bernard-Docker has room to grow as a player. In the short-term, he can challenge Justin Holl for the third pairing job on the right side of the defense. Down the line, he might be able to stake a claim for a second pairing role.
Appleton could wear a few different hats in Hockeytown. He can work on the Red Wings penalty kill, an area they desperately need to improve. He can also provide some offense on the third line. Overall, his job is to make the Red Wings harder to play against.
However, neither of these players represents the team’s best signing. That honor goes to the last remaining name mentioned previously. Heavy.com is naming van Riemsdyk as the best pickup for the Red Wings in NHL Free Agency.
James van Riemsdyk Can Offer Goals Entering Year 17
Jason Mowry/Getty ImagesJames van Riemsdyk could provide significant value for the Detroit Red Wings this coming season.
The Red Wings struggled in multiple areas of the game in 2024-25. Detroit could not kill penalties to save their lives at times. They got pushed around a lot, as well. But one of the biggest areas of weakness for Detroit in 2024-25 was their scoring depth.
Only five players on the Red Wings roster scored more than 15 goals in 2024-25. Some came close, but Detroit did not have the needed goals down the lineup to succeed. Had van Riemsdyk played in Detroit last season, his 16 goals would have ranked sixth on the team.
van Riemsdyk can still provide important secondary scoring. He has scored 10 or more goals in every season of his career. He has scored 15 or more goals in four of the last six seasons, as well. This includes a 24 goal campaign with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2021-22.
Depth was the main objective for the Red Wings in free agency. Adding van Riemsdyk could prove to be one of the best value signings across the league this coming season. The veteran winger may not score at elite levels entering his 17th season, but he could still be one of the team’s best goal scorers.
JVR Has Connections With Red Wings
One thing that could help the veteran in 2025-26 is his familiarity with his new teammates. One name in particular is Patrick Kane. Kane and van Riemsdyk were the first two picks of the 2007 NHL Draft. Now, they are reunited in Detroit.
“He’s one of my really good buddies and we’ve obviously kind of been on this whole journey together in a lot of ways,” van Riemsdyk said, via NHL.com. “We’ve been through some different USA Hockey things over the years.”
van Riemsdyk is gearing up for another NHL season. He joins a Red Wings team looking for goal scoring and leadership. The team wants to push for playoff hockey, and they hope van Riemsdyk’s familiarity with his new teammates can help him contribute to the team’s postseason challenge in 2026.
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