Six potential trade destinations for Philadelphia Flyers’ James van Riemsdyk

Credit: © Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

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There are only so many big catches in the NHL’s trading waters. Not every team hooks a marlin. Some will have to settle for smaller meals.

And that’s where a reliable veteran like Philadelphia Flyers left winger James van Riemsdyk comes in handy. The list of high-impact scoring forwards left for contenders to acquire has shrunken considerably over the past month, with Bo Horvat, Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan O’Reilly coming off the board. While Timo Meier and Patrick Kane undoubtedly remain the top forwards still out there, players like Ivan Barbashev and ‘JVR’ represent the consolation prizes. Depending on whether Meier and Kane go before deadline day on March 3, the Flyers could even find themselves fielding multiple offers for ‘JVR.’

My colleague Frank Seravalli profiled van Riemsdyk earlier this month. At 33, he’s a known commodity, for better and for worse. He’s not fleet of foot and won’t help out on the defensive side of the puck, but he remains an above-average net front scorer and welcome dressing room presence. His 19-goal pace this season almost feels like it should be pro-rated to 25 given the company he’s kept on a weak Flyers team.

So teams should come calling to rent the pending UFA van Riemsdyk, with the Flyers eating 50 percent of his $7 million AAV and a third-party broker being an option if the $3.5 million is too much to stomach. Who are the best fits for ‘JVR? Consider these six teams, listed alphabetically.

Carolina Hurricanes

Why he makes sense: It’s no secret the Canes are in the market for a top-six forward. They’ve lost left winger Max Pacioretty for the season after he re-tore his Achilles tendon. With his $7 million cap hit on LTIR, the Canes currently project for more than $10 million in cap space on deadline day. Not only does that mean it’s relatively easy for them to make the money work, but it also means they can possibly afford two additions if, for instance, the Flyers retained money on ‘JVR.’

What it might cost: The Canes own their 2023 second-round pick and have two second-rounders for 2024, one of which they received from Philly. Any deal built around a second-rounder feels like a fair price for what van Riemsdyk brings.

Fly in the ointment: There’s no way a van Riemsdyk type tops GM Don Waddell’s wish list. The Hurricanes are top-tier Stanley Cup contenders and we should expect them to pursue the best available forwards first – namely Meier. Owner Tom Dundon indicated to Seravalli this week that his team will be more aggressive than ever trying to load up before the deadline. While they can afford more than one addition, center is an even bigger need for them than help on the wings. ‘JVR’ would feel more like a luxury.

Dallas Stars

Why he makes sense: The Stars have been open pretty much all year about their desire to add a scoring-line forward. They also find themselves without a ton of cap wiggle room, so it’s tough for them to chase a big-ticket piece without money in and money out. If the Flyers retain 50 percent on JVR, it’s not inconceivable that the Stars could strike a deal, especially if a third-party broker helped out. They’re developing an exciting next wave of prospects and wouldn’t have to sacrifice a blue-chipper to land van Riemsdyk.

What it might cost: Dallas already dealt its first- and third-rounder for 2023. Maybe it just throws in the towel on this draft and wipes out the second-rounder, too? If money in, money out is crucial, I could see the Stars kicking in a player in need of a scenery change. Denis Gurianov at $2.9 million makes too much sense. He’s an RFA, so the Flyers could choose not to qualify him and let him walk in the summer. If the Flyers were willing to take him in a deal while retaining 50 percent on ‘JVR,’ Dallas might not need a third-party broker.

Fly in the ointment: Dallas is one of the older teams in the league, with an average age of 28. Its forward corps already includes 38-year-old Joe Pavelski, 33-year-old Jamie Benn, 33-year-old Luke Glendening and 31-year-old Tyler Seguin. Do the Stars really want to get older and slower than they already are?

New Jersey Devils

Why he makes sense: The Devils are Trade Deadline contenders for the first time in the Jack Hughes era and have stayed near the top of the NHL standings for most of the season. This group has earned a reward in the form of a roster upgrade from GM Tom Fitzgerald. If the Devils swing and miss on Meier, they’re arguably too early in their championship window to pay top dollar on a rental, which is why a cheaper target like ‘JVR’ might make sense. The Devils have a top-10 offense but their power play ranks in the bottom half of the league, so van Riemsdyk could augment their second unit.

What it might cost: The Devils own all but one of their original 21 picks in the next three drafts, so it shouldn’t be hard to concoct the right cocktail to entice the Flyers. The Devils may need to move a contract the other way to fit van Riemsdyk under the cap. Pending UFA Miles Wood would make sense.

Fly in the ointment: Unless the Devils can hit a home run with Meier, is it really worth surrendering futures for a non needle-mover like ‘JVR’? When a team is first breaking through as a contender, there’s less urgency to make a rental trade.

New York Islanders

Why he makes sense: A few months ago, ‘van Riemsdyk to replace Mat Barzal’ would’ve sounded ridiculous. But the Islanders were using Barzal on the wing after acquiring Bo Horvat. Now, with Barzal out week-to-week with a lower-body injury, the Isles might want to patch up that hole in the top nine – as soon as possible. They established themselves as all-in when they surrendered their 2023 first-round pick and top prospect Aatu Raty as part of the package for Horvat, so maybe there’s no turning back for a team battling on the playoff bubble. Lou Lamoriello has a familiarity with van Riemsdyk, too, as they overlapped for the three seasons when Lamoriello was GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2015-16 through 2017-18.

What it might cost: Vancouver has New York’s 2023 first-rounder, and its third-rounder will go to the Arizona Coyotes, triggered when Andrew Ladd landed on LTIR and was ruled out for the season. If Lamoriello doesn’t want to completely decimate his pick haul this season, the Isles have every pick for their 2024 slate.

Fly in the ointment: Will Barzal’s indefinite absence be a death knell for the Isles’ playoff hopes? With Horvat re-signed for eight more years, the Isles could decide to declare this season a write off and hope to bounce back next season rather than pursuing a Band-Aid solution.

Seattle Kraken

Why he make sense: The Kraken have been a pleasant surprise in their second NHL season, looking a lot more like the competitive club many thought they’d be in Year 1. It’s too early in their developmental curve for GM Ron Francis to sacrifice a first-round pick or high-upside farmhand, but if the club wants to attempt a playoff run through the wide-open Pacific bracket, it could pay a modest price for a veteran rental like van Riemsdyk, who could help a subpar power play. He has already played for coach Dave Hakstol, who was behind the Philly bench in 2017-18 and part of 2018-19.

What it might cost: With three second-round picks for the 2023 Draft, the Kraken are as well equipped as anyone to target a mid-tier piece like van Riemsdyk. If they want to recruit a third-party broker to help with salary retention, that’s also no problem; they own 10 picks this June alone.

Fly in the ointment: The Kraken are still in the “house money” phase of their development, so they don’t necessarily have urgency to pursue middling upgrades. They’re also still populating their farm system. They arguably need every draft pick they can get, lest they wind up in a situation like that of the Vegas Golden Knights, who have gutted their pipeline in the name of win-now trades.

Winnipeg Jets

Why he makes sense: The Jets already have star power all over the lineup, from Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Nikolaj Ehlers up front to Josh Morrissey on defense and Connor Hellebuyck in net. They are one of the few contenders that might actually need depth more than they need a top-end acquisition, so van Riemsdyk fits the bill.

What it might cost: The Jets don’t have their 2023 second-round pick but could use their third-rounder or their second-rounder for next season as part of a ‘JVR’ package. They also have enough cap space that they could lower their acquisition cost by (a) not necessarily requiring the Flyers to retain 50 percent of his salary and (b) not needing to use up another pick to recruit a third-party broker.

Fly in the ointment: Scheifele and Hellebuyck have one season left apiece on their deals and are thus eligible to sign extensions this summer. Dubois might force his way out of town as an RFA. If you want to keep this group together? Show them. It’s time for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff to go all-in and chase a much bigger fish than van Riemsdyk.