Brian Burke's plan that occupied the "win now" mentality didn't work during his tenure as Leafs GM, but he did make a move towards the end of his era that would greatly improve the Leafs offense, and this move was trading defenseman Luke Schenn to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for forward James van Riemsdyk. From the moment JVR put on a Leafs jersey, he's been a great player. He also seems to be somebody who's relatively safe during this rebuild, so let's take a look at what JVR can bring to the table.
A former 2nd overall pick in the 2007 draft, JVR brings the perfect combination of size and skill to the table. He's useful in front of the net on the powerplay, and can be utilized on the penalty kill as well. He had a solid season in 2013-14 in which he scored 30 goals, and was overall a solid addition to the Leafs' top line. Usually playing alongside of Phil Kessel and Tyler Bozak, he's been a lock on the first line since he arrived here. He can use his body to get to the net and make it tough for opposing players to push him off the puck, and generally has an advantage offensively. In his first season with the Leafs, he recorded 32 points in 48 games, and then proceeded to have a career year in 2013-14, scoring 30 goals and tallying 61 points. He had a bit of a drop off this past year, putting only 56 points up, but he still showed up offensively and can look for the same type of production next year.
STATUS: ALMOST UNTOUCHABLE
This is the first time i've given a player this status. The thing is, he's not so much of a lock to the future that I could say he's untouchable, but the Leafs are not shopping him around and would not deal him unless another team gave them an offer they can't refuse. For the most part, JVR is safe.
2015-16 ROLE: 1ST LINE LW
It's essentially a given that JVR will be on the first line again this year, only he'll likely be playing with different linemates. Phil Kessel was recently traded to the Penguins, and Tyler Bozak is currently being shopped around, but even if he's not dealt by the time the season starts, Nazem Kadri will likely get first line minutes. Either way, JVR is currently the Leafs' best LW, so expect him to stay up there for most of the season.
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