#3 James van Riemsdyk
After yet another solid year of hockey, James van Riemsdyk will become a free agent this summer. One thing that Panthers could use more of next year? Goals. JVR tallied 36 goals this season which was good enough to double the amount of assists he had. In result, he finished with 54 points in 81 games. JVR is a big bodied forward that the Panthers will likely be interested in this summer, knowing very well what he could bring to this roster.
JVR is the typical forward that the Panthers organization is looking for. He scores a lot and has a big/physical presence which is good for around goal. He can stand in front of goal on power plays and score those much-needed gritty goals. He can also score in a skilled manner in those in-tight corners, where room is hard to find.
Unfortunately, getting JVR to come down to South Florida will be difficult to come by. The market for his services will be huge, demanding a hefty contract in result. It’s going to be up to the Panthers’ front office to decide if they want to give JVR not only a long-term contract, but also a contract that will lock up some of their salary space for a while. To put it simply, is his production worth that much money?
When free agency rolls around, the Panthers will likely be one of the teams inquiring about his services. There is a decent chance that JVR plays in South Florida this season, but if the price gets too high, the Panthers should certainly pass on him.
Signing Salary Prediction: 6 years/$42 million ($7M AAV).