Bruins honor James van Riemsdyk for 1,000 career NHL games
van Riemsdyk hasn't been a Bruin for very long, but it's clear he's made a tremendous impact on his teammates already.
James van Riemsdyk has only been a Bruin for about nine months, but that hasn’t stopped him from fitting right in with the 2023-24 rendition of the Black-and-Gold.
Nothing showcased that more than the tribute Boston prepared for van Riemsdyk to celebrate his career milestone of 1,000 NHL games.
Many figureheads of the Bruins organization appeared in a pregame video to congratulate the 15-year NHL veteran on earning his silver stick. Only 63 of those 1,000 games were played in a Boston sweater.
Adding an extra level of nostalgia, the Bruins were able to honor van Riemsdyk against the Philadelphia Flyers, where he played a total of eight seasons, including the previous five before his arrival in Boston. The tribute video featured kind words from Peter Laviollete, who coached van Riemsdyk during his first tenure with Philadelphia.
Among many other voices, Bruins captain Brad Marchand had plenty of nice things to say about van Riemsdyk, whom he battled with long before the pair shared the ice on the same team. Marchand hit the 1,000 game milestone this season, as well.
“Always been such a tough competitor, [we’ve] had a lot of great battles over the years. But, what I love most [is] being your teammate, getting to know you as a person,” Marchand said. “A great player, but even better teammate and person. So, congrats again. Very happy for you.”
Boston coach Jim Montgomery shared a similar sentiment to Marchand when he appeared on NESN’s pregame coverage. He knew what van Riemsdyk could bring to the table on the ice, but getting to know the forward off the ice was even more rewarding.
van Riemsdyk signed a one-year deal with the Bruins in the offseason, but is proving that he has more left in the tank, and should earn another contract in 2024-25, be it with Boston or elsewhere.
“A very welcome addition to the Boston Bruins, congratulations on a special evening,” Boston GM Don Sweeney said. “A testament to your longevity, production, and the accomplishment to be a great player in the NHL for such a long time.”
“We’ve been together quite a long time, I’ve been playing against you since we were kids, and I’m very grateful that I’ve been able to play with you along your career,” Bruins defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk added. “Really just happy for you and your family, and hope you enjoy your night.”
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