James van Riemsdyk Bio
James van Riemsdyk, often known by his initials JVR, is an American professional ice hockey left winger for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. Born on May 4, 1989, in Middletown, New Jersey, he was drafted second overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and went on to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins before joining Detroit. A veteran of more than a decade in the NHL, he has surpassed the 1,000-game mark, scored over 200 career goals, and represented the United States at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Early Life and Background
James van Riemsdyk was born on May 4, 1989, in Middletown, New Jersey, to parents Frans and Allison van Riemsdyk. His family, particularly his father, were strong supporters of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League, and James began playing ice hockey around the age of five at a rink in Old Bridge, New Jersey. He spent three seasons with the American Eagles of the Monmouth County Youth Hockey Association and six years with the Brick Hockey Club in Brick Township, New Jersey, where he and his brother Trevor led the Brick Stars to a national championship.
Van Riemsdyk continued his development at Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, New Jersey, making the varsity team as a freshman. He also captained Brick to the Atlantic District Championship during the 2004-05 Midget AA season, and that same year he was part of the New Jersey Parochial championship-winning squad at Christian Brothers Academy. In 2013, the Ocean Ice Palace in New Jersey retired his No. 21 jersey in recognition of the years he had spent skating there as a youth.
Following the 2004-05 season, van Riemsdyk left Christian Brothers Academy to join the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Across two seasons with the program, he recorded 65 goals and 124 points, totals that ranked among the highest in team history at the time. It was in Ann Arbor that he became close friends with Patrick Kane, his future first-overall draft classmate.
Path to Professional Hockey
Heading into the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, the NHL Central Scouting Bureau ranked van Riemsdyk as the third-best North American skater available, behind Patrick Kane and Kyle Turris. The Chicago Blackhawks took Kane first overall, and the Philadelphia Flyers selected van Riemsdyk second overall. Rather than turn professional immediately, he honored his commitment to the University of New Hampshire, where he was roommates with Washington Capitals draft pick Phil DeSimone.
As a freshman at New Hampshire in 2007-08, van Riemsdyk finished third on the team with 34 points, including 11 goals and 23 assists in 31 games, earned two Hockey East Rookie of the Month selections, and was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team. The following year, he led the Wildcats in scoring with 17 goals and 23 assists before choosing to leave school to sign with the Flyers.
On the international stage, van Riemsdyk represented the United States at the 2006 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, where he was named to the tournament All-Star Team, and at the 2006 and 2007 IIHF World U18 Championships, where he won gold in 2006 and captured tournament MVP honors in 2007 after tying for the scoring lead. He also played in three straight World Junior Ice Hockey Championships from 2007 through 2009, leading all skaters in scoring in 2008 with 11 points in six games.
James van Riemsdyk Career
Early Career (2009-2012)
On April 1, 2009, van Riemsdyk agreed to forfeit his final two years of college eligibility and signed an entry-level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers. After a brief AHL stint with the Philadelphia Phantoms, he made his NHL debut on October 2, 2009, recording a power-play assist against the Carolina Hurricanes, and scored his first NHL goal on October 24, 2009, in a 5-1 win over the Florida Panthers. He was named NHL Rookie of the Month in November 2009 and finished his rookie season with 15 goals and 35 points in 78 games, while also playing a key role in the Flyers’ historic comeback from a 3-0 series deficit against the Boston Bruins in the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals.
In his sophomore season, van Riemsdyk recorded his first Gordie Howe hat trick on February 15, 2011, against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and his first regular hat trick on March 26, 2011, against the New York Islanders. His third NHL season, 2011-12, was disrupted by a fractured left foot sustained in March 2012, limiting him to 43 games and 11 goals.
Toronto Maple Leafs Era (2012-2018)
On June 23, 2012, the Flyers traded van Riemsdyk to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for defenseman Luke Schenn. After the 2012-13 lockout, he made an immediate impact with eight goals in his first 14 games and helped Toronto reach the playoffs for the first time since 2005. On March 29, 2014, he tied the NHL record for the fastest goal from the start of a period, scoring four seconds into the second period against the Philadelphia Flyers, and on April 3, 2014, he reached the 30-goal mark for the first time in his career.
After a foot fracture limited him to 40 games in 2015-16, van Riemsdyk returned healthy in 2016-17 and set a personal best with 62 points, including 29 goals and 33 assists, while switching from No. 21 to No. 25 after the Maple Leafs retired his longtime number for Borje Salming. In 2017-18, he scored the 20,000th goal in Maple Leafs history on December 19, 2017, registered his third career hat trick on March 14, 2018, and netted his 200th career NHL goal on March 28, 2018, finishing the year with a career-high 36 goals and 54 points.
Philadelphia Flyers Return and Boston Bruins (2018-2024)
On July 1, 2018, van Riemsdyk signed a five-year, $35 million contract with the Philadelphia Flyers as an unrestricted free agent. In his first season back, he played 66 games and produced 27 goals and 48 points, highlighted by two hat tricks. On February 21, 2021, he recorded his 500th career NHL point during the NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe game against the Boston Bruins. After injuries and inconsistencies in 2021-22 and 2022-23, he was bought out by the Flyers.
On July 1, 2023, van Riemsdyk signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Boston Bruins. On March 5, 2024, he skated in his 1,000th NHL game against the Edmonton Oilers, and he was honored in a pregame ceremony three games later when Boston faced his former Flyers squad. He finished the Bruins season as a dependable veteran depth forward.
Columbus and Detroit (2024-Present)
On September 15, 2024, van Riemsdyk signed a one-year, $900,000 contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets for the 2024-25 season, providing veteran leadership and a power-forward presence on the wing. After completing that deal, he signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings on July 1, 2025, joining a young Detroit roster that is rebuilding around emerging talent. With Detroit, van Riemsdyk is expected to play a complementary scoring and mentorship role on one of the team’s middle-six lines.
Driving Style and Strengths
Van Riemsdyk represents the modern power forward, using a combination of size, speed, and skill rather than relying on physicality alone. He is most effective in the slot and around the net, where his long reach and hand-eye coordination make him dangerous on redirects and tip-ins. Throughout his career, he has been particularly productive on the power play, and his ability to play in front of the net has consistently generated scoring chances for linemates.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his career milestones, van Riemsdyk scored his 200th career NHL goal on March 28, 2018, against the Florida Panthers, netted the 20,000th goal in Maple Leafs history on December 19, 2017, and played his 1,000th NHL game on March 5, 2024, against the Edmonton Oilers. He also played a key role in the Flyers’ historic 2010 playoff comeback from a 3-0 series deficit against the Boston Bruins, the first such rally in the NHL since 1975.
James van Riemsdyk Career Wins
While ice hockey does not tally wins in the same manner as individual sports, van Riemsdyk’s scoring and point production stand as the clearest measure of his offensive impact. He has surpassed 200 career NHL goals, recorded more than 500 career points, and posted four 27-goal-or-better seasons across his time with the Flyers, Maple Leafs, and Bruins.
NHL Highlights
Van Riemsdyk has registered four career hat tricks, including performances on March 26, 2011, against the New York Islanders, March 14, 2018, against the Dallas Stars, January 14, 2019, against the Minnesota Wild, and March 15, 2019, against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He set career highs of 36 goals and 62 points during the 2017-18 season with the Maple Leafs and reached the 30-goal mark for the first time in 2013-14.
Other Wins and Performances
On the international stage, van Riemsdyk helped Team USA to a gold medal at the 2006 IIHF World U18 Championships, was named tournament MVP at the 2007 IIHF World U18 Championships with a silver medal, and skated for the United States at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, where his line with Phil Kessel and Joe Pavelski produced 20 combined points. He also represented the U.S. at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and the 2019 IIHF World Championship.
James van Riemsdyk Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Van Riemsdyk’s father, Frans van Riemsdyk, and his mother, Allison, raised James and his brothers in Middletown, New Jersey. Two of his younger brothers, Trevor and Brendan, have also pursued professional ice hockey careers. Trevor van Riemsdyk is a defenseman who has played in the NHL, while Brendan played college hockey at the University of New Hampshire and Northeastern University before signing with the Reading Royals of the ECHL in August 2020.
Personal Life
James van Riemsdyk married his longtime girlfriend, Lauren Tjernlund, on July 19, 2019. Their first child, daughter Scarlett Everly van Riemsdyk, was born on May 2, 2020. During the hockey season, the family resides in the Society Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia, and they keep a summer home in Minnesota, where van Riemsdyk plays in the Da Beauty League during the offseason.
2025 Season Performance
James van Riemsdyk entered the 2025 calendar year in the final stretch of his one-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets, serving as a veteran winger on a young roster. He provided leadership in the locker room and a steady presence on the power play, helping mentor several of Columbus’s top prospects through the second half of the 2024-25 campaign. Following the conclusion of that deal, he signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings on July 1, 2025, joining the organization for the 2025-26 season.
In Detroit, van Riemsdyk is expected to play a depth-scoring role on a Red Wings team focused on development and gradual improvement. His experience on playoff-bound rosters in Philadelphia and Toronto, combined with his power-play acumen, should make him a useful option for head coach Derek Lalonde. As the 2025-26 season unfolds, the Red Wings will be looking to build momentum in the Atlantic Division while integrating their younger core.