The first of many Leafs moves before the trade deadline happened today, with the Toronto Maple Leafs dealing winger James Van Riemsdyk to the New York Rangers. I literally cannot believe it.
It was inevitable that the Leafs would start to move out some players, but “JVR” (as the fans have come to refer to him as) wasn’t expected to be one of them.
Van Riemsdyk, 26, had 29 points in 40 games prior to getting injured. On that pace, he would have finished with 59 points for the season, being one of a small number of Leafs with high-end offensive talent. That must have played into Lou Lamoriellio’s decision to move him, making sure that he doesn’t come back near the end of the season and catapult the Leafs out of the basement. At this point, it’s all about that high pick.
But while visions of Auston Matthews dance in the heads of management, moving JVR just doesn’t make sense. Sure, we may not know the return yet (the “details to come” portion of the tweet above still hasn’t become public), but based solely on what assets the Rangers have, the return won’t be enough. Van Riemsdyk is a legit top-line winger, who has become a strong all around player under Mike Babcock. At only 26, he is still young enough to fit with the core of this team, and with a cap hit of $4.25 million, he has one of the best non-ELC contracts in the league.
I understand the long-term outlook for the Leafs, but moving James Van Riemsdyk now just doesn’t make much sense. It doesn’t even make sense for the Rangers to trade for him while he is injured. They could easily be out of the playoff race by the time JVR is healthy, and replacing Dan Girardi and/or Marc Staal is a bigger need for them than another forward.
But hey, trades don’t always make sense – that’s what makes them so fun. The silly season is here, folks.
Oh God, please no…
This was worrying
It’s been reported as a scam just like your article Bobby
Have you verified this rumour?
It would appear that your source is not legitimate.
Details are that he was traded for 7 players. #confirmed
Hope we get Tanner Glass for him. I like his hustle
Hoping we got Dan Girardi in return. Best Dman since Bobby Orr.
can us ask your source to ask their source????????
This column tracks about as well as your scoreboard over there>>> or is clinging to that 7 cob thrashing therapeutic in its dated magnificence?
Lame.
This post I mean, not the ‘trade’
How can you like the trade when we don’t even know what we’re getting back yet?
Why does this guy have a column on TLN? His shtick is so played out…and now this.
What a dolt!!
Played out? It never left the dressing room!
Tsn account hacked this morning it’s false
TSN got their twitter hacked.
Bobby, I can’t believe all the complaining here from the TLN commentators. All they have been talking about since the summer is how we are going to trade our players for picks and prospects. Now when the first trade is made you get nothing but flack. This is unfair.
PS: Great job of hacking Twitter.
Gary, you read my comments and know I’ve been an Advocate of trading JVR as long as we get a H U G E return however, when a moron like Nobby Crappuccino reports a trade hours after it has been confirmed to be a fake reflects poorly on this site.
I also love uncle Leo and would be happy to see both he and JVR play for the Leafs for the foreseeable future yet if Washington is really interested and feels either is the final piece on the road to their first cup, I would demand Marcus Johannson and either Bowey or Vrana. Or their First and Bowey and Vrana.
How does that sound? Yes it’s an overpayment But…What is a cup worth to Washington?
Relax, Bobby Cappuccino looks at the lighter side of hockey. It is intended to relieve the tension as we speculate the future of our Leafs. I like your thinking on a trade. This year the GM’s appear to be working the phones. It looks like they are all waiting for someone to make the first move, then the dominoes will start to fall.