Sport’s greatest celebration is a giddy, busy mess of hollers and hugs, sweat and tears, babies and selfies. Somewhere in this happy chaos, the Stanley Cup sparkles brighter than all the flashing bulbs and gap-toothed smiles crowding Chicago’s chewed-up ice.
It’s June 15, the Blackhawks have won it all, and there, somewhere between Andrew Shaw and Jonathan Toews, you spot a rarity: an active member of the Toronto Maple Leafs on the ice for the Cup celebration.
James van Riemsdyk — wearing a T-shirt as red as the home team but no ‘Hawks logos — lingers inside the boards but away from the fray. You approach him with a smartphone and he waves his hand no. Well, OK, but only if his brother Brendan is in the shot.
The hockey siblings had been following around middle brother Trevor’s sudden quest for a championship, and a wicked rainstorm nearly prevented them from catching Trevor’s moment. After a flight delay, they made it into United Center with eight minutes left in the third period.
His shake-your-head Leafs had long been eliminated, and yet James calls the Cup final the funnest part of his off-season.
“It seemed like I was always making it to the game by the skin of my teeth, barely making it there for the end of Game 6,” van Riemsdyk says, “but it was a lot of fun watching him.”
Back in Toronto after a disappointing minus-33 season, the 26-year-old JVR is looking at a new bench boss, a nearly mythical GM, a Kessel-free lineup, a new standard for familial success, and a fresh slate.
We sat down with big brother to talk Stanley, Leafs turnover and the merits of auto-drafting your NFL fantasy squad.
SPORTSNET.CA: Your brother Trevor has 18 NHL games played and a Stanley Cup championship. You have 406 games and no Cup. How does that feel?
JAMES VAN RIEMSDYK: That’s the way it goes. The beauty of him being a free agent, he was able to pick his situation. He always seemed confident with how he fit in with Chicago. I think he made a great call. The way he plays fits in perfectly.
You’re the older brother. Does he tease you at all?
No, no. Our relationship has evolved. If this had of happened when we were growing up, I’m sure I’d be hearing about it. We’re just happy for each other.
What was his day with the Cup like for you? You’re around this thing you’ve never won all day.
I was there for all that, but I was keeping a distance to a degree. It makes you want it that much more. It makes you realize how special it would be. Obviously there’s a lot of hard work that goes into it, but there’s an element of luck too. You have to have a lot of things go right to be in that position.
Describe Trevor’s day. That must’ve been special for a family so devoted to hockey.
Trevor did a lot of cool things with it. He brought it to the club we played for growing up, the high school we went to, did something with the township, and then we had a reception thing for family and friends later on in the night, which was fun. He did a good job.
How late did the party go?
It was a long day. We were up at 7 a.m. to go pick up the Cup and the party fizzled out around 11:30 or 12 at night. So it wasn’t that late of a night, but it was funny to see everyone get around it – all the neighbours drinking out of the Cup. That was fun.
How much contact have you had with your new coach, Mike Babcock?
I talked to him a few times on the phone, then I met him briefly Tuesday during the media tour at the MCC [the Leafs’ practice facility]. It was nice to finally meet him. He seems jacked up and ready to go.
How much has the addition of Babcock and Lou Lamoriello changed the vibe among the players coming back?
We knew last year there would be changes this summer. Bringing in Mike to coach the team and Lou—that’s two significant changes. It’s exciting. It leaves a bitter taste in your mouth how things finished last year. You want to improve upon that, get off to a good start and go from there.
Where were you when you heard Phil Kessel got traded?
Out in Minnesota at my house. It’s one of those things. He’s a great friend, great teammate and great player. We knew last year, how it ended, there would be big changes in the summer. It just happened to be Phil that was the guy they decided to move. It’s part of the business. I’m sure he’s happy about the situation he’s in in Pittsburgh, and he’s going to have a big year there.
Did you call him immediately?
Yeah, we talked right away. He’s probably a guy I’ll keep in touch with forever now. He’s a good friend, and I’m happy for him to be in a situation like that.
Not only with the Leafs, but you two had great chemistry in Sochi too. Thinking World Cup reunion?
That would be pretty exciting, playing on that stage… I’d love to do that. Hopefully I get a chance to do that next year. It would be fun to play with him again, that’s for sure.
After a hot start and beating Team Russia, do you see the World Cup as a chance to for the U.S. to avenge the Olympic disappointment? Or is it not quite on the same level?
It’s a little different. There will be different players, different teams, obviously. It’s tough to compare like that because there are two years in between. Every time you wear the USA jersey, you want to win.
Toronto fans expect competition for the No. 1 centre spot. What’s the biggest difference Tyler Bozak and Nazem Kadri as centremen?
They’re a different style of player. Both bring different things to the table. Bozie’s an ace in the face-off circle [53.2 per cent in 2014-15] and supports the puck well. Naz’s skill level is through the roof. He can make guys look pretty silly on the other team. He has great vision. They both go about how they play differently, but they’re both great.
As a winger, how do you need to read off them?
I’ve been playing with Bozie so much, that I don’t have to think about it. You get a feel for where he’s going to be and what he’s going to do. I haven’t played with Naz as much over my three years here, but when we have played together, I’ve felt comfortable with him too. Both would be great guys to play with.
A couple of veterans you knew well retired this summer, and you shouted them out on Twitter. What made Daniel Briere so #sneaky?
That was his nickname. He’s always so sneaky on the ice. Especially in the offensive zone, when you play him, you’re always like, “Where’s Danny?” Then the puck pops out and he buries it. He was a great mentor for me in my first few years, and I was lucky to get a chance to play with him.
And you worked out alongside Martin St. Louis.
I trained with him the last few summers. He was another guy that it was great to be exposed to. You get to see what it’s all about, what it takes to have a long, successful career. He accomplished anything and everything you’d want to accomplish over the course of his career. Hell of a career.
Football begins this weekend. Are you an NFL guy?
A little bit. My team would be the Jets. They’ve had a couple tough years, but hopefully they can turn it around a bit here. I play a little fantasy. I know some guys follow the sleepers. I just pick my team and let it ride out. I never make any trades.
That strategy can’t work. Have you ever won?
I won my first year. I missed the draft, and it autodrafted for me—and that the only year I won out of five years.
Super Bowl pick?
The Pats. With all the drama and chaos of their off-season, Tom Brady is a pretty proud guy. I think they’re gonna take the league by storm again this year.
