Todd McLellan: Updates on Red Wings James van Riemsdyk, Nate Danielson
Detroit Red Wings coach Todd McLellan, Sept. 30, 3025 in Detroit.
At last, the Detroit Red Wings anticipate embracing James van Riemsdyk into their fold imminenntly.
The free agent newcomer has missed the first two weeks of training camp and the first six exhibition games for family reasons – described by the Wings as “a good thing,” – but he could be practicing with them as soon as Oct. 1.
“JVR, from what I’ve been told, I think he will arrive tomorrow,” coach Todd McLellan said on Tuesday, Sept. 30. “And if he does get here tomorrow, if everything goes OK – he’s got some things that he needs to do, obviously, before he gets on the ice, physical or medical and all that type of stuff.
“We practice a little bit later. And if we can get it all set up, I hope that he’s on the ice tomorrow. Now we’ve got to get him up to speed.”
Van Riemsdyk, 36, will have a week to ready himself for the Oct. 9 season opener. In his absence, prospect Emmitt Finnie has gotten a look on the top line next to Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, as has Elmer Söderblom and Jonatan Berggren.
“I don’t know how much (van Riemsdyk) has actually been skating,” McLellan said. “So we’ll have to be aware of, you know, groins, hip flexors, all that type of stuff that tend to go wrong early in the year with players. But we’ll get him going.”
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