James van Riemsdyk signing is low-risk, high-reward deal for the Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell talked on Saturday about the roster situation, noting that he needed to add two or three forwards to the mix just to ice a team. On Sunday, he signed long-time veteran James van Riemsdyk to a low-risk, high reward deal.

The deal will pay van Riemsdyk $900k, which is a steal for a player who will fit directly into this team's middle six forward group. A veteran of 1011 NHL games, he has 311 goals and 629 points under his belt, having played with the Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins.

Last season, he played in 71 games for the Bruins; scoring 11 goals and 38 points. That points total would have been fourth best on the Blue Jackets; underscoring this team's need for offense and leadership.

Originally drafted second overall at the 2007 NHL Draft, van Riemsdyk has spent most of his career as one of the better net-front options in the NHL. At 6'3" and 208 pounds, he's made a career out of using his body to shield off defenders and score goals down low.

He's long past his peak, but he has scored 30 or more goals in the NHL twice in his career. Having never been the most fleet afoot, van Riemsdyk has aged well because his playstyle doesn't expose the speed he's lost over the years.

For the Blue Jackets, I think he'll slot somewhere into one of the top two lines this season. He's serviceable enough that he could play on the top line alongside Sean Monahan until someone proves they're ready to take on that job. Or, Dean Evason could opt to use him alongside Adam Fantilli on the second line, in a sort of mentorship role.

Even if his scoring falls off of a cliff, he can play in the bottom six as well. He'll be an upgrade over just about anyone else that would have stepped into one of these jobs - which will also allow the Jackets to keep some of their prospects simmering in the AHL. And, he can still occupy a power-play spot and be productive in front of that net, which certainly won't hurt this team's chances.

Of the options that were available via free agency, van Riemsdyk was clearly the best player available. At just $900k, he'll provide another veteran voice in the locker room - along with some leftover goal scoring potential. This is exactly the kind of player this team needed to add in the wake of recent tragedy.