Last season, JVR was ranked 849th in SAT differential (NHL.com). This season he’s currently 3rd. That’s a major turnaround, regardless of the sample size. He’s been significantly better – and he’s not being propped up by anyone. In fact, most players’ possession numbers are putrid without him.
Whatever he’s worked on in the off-season, or whatever the new coaching staff has changed with him, it’s working. James van Riemsdyk is a much better hockey player than he was last year for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
His current $4.25M cap hit is good until the end of the 2017-2018 season, at which time he’ll be 29 years old.