Steve Yzerman on John Gibson trade, Detroit Red Wings’ 2025 draft
Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman, June 28, 2025.
The signing was more of a ripple than a splash, but there wasn’t much of a supply as NHL free agency got underway on July 1.
The Detroit Red Wings signed James van Riemsdyk for one year at $1 million, adding a well-traveled veteran forward who has produced in the 30-point range each of the last three seasons. Overall, the 36-year-old has 327 goals and 665 points in 1,082 career games, spread among the Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins and Columbus Blue Jackets.
His first season with the Wings will be his 17th in the NHL.
The Wings were looking for a left winger to play on a line with Patrick Kane and Marco Kasper. Van Riemsdyk certainly has experience, and the market had taken a severe hit leading up to free agency with the Florida Panthers re-signing Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand.
Van Riemsdyk shares a bit of history with Kane, incidentally: Kane was the first overall pick in the 2007 draft, and Van Riemsdyk was second.
The early expectation is van Riemsdyk will get some looks with Kane and Kasper during training camp and exhibition season.
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her books: “The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings, A Curated History of Hockeytown,” and “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” and “The Big 50: The Men and Moments that made the Detroit Red Wings” are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.