How Will the Flyers Look Next Season With JVR In the Lineup?

The Flyers made a big splash in NHL Free Agency for the first time in years when General Manager Ron Hextall signed James Van Riemsdyk to a five-year deal worth $35 million as Philadelphia is not settling for slow progress after making the postseason for the second time in the last three seasons.

Van Riemsdyk's return to the 'Orange and Black' gives the Flyers an experienced wing scorer who has averaged 27.2 Goals per Season over the last five years.  The 2017-18 Flyers team scored 249 Goals which had them ranked as the 13th Best offense in the NHL last season.  JVR's 36 Goals scored last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs is more than any Flyers player has scored in a single season since 2011-12 when Scott Hartnell had 37 Goals.

Philadelphia Inquirer Flyers Beat Writer Sam Carchidi joined The Sports Bash on Friday with his expectations for how the Flyers' Lines could look with the addition of James Van Riemsdyk for the 2018-19 season:

"The feeling is that (the Flyers) love the chemistry that Sean Couturier had with Claude Giroux and I think if everybody’s healthy, that’s the way it’s gonna start - Couturier in the middle, Giroux on the left and I don’t know how you cannot have Travis Konecny on the top line, he was just explosive, he was tremendous when he was there....To get the most out of everybody, I think that’s the best bet on that top line. I see JVR on the second line with Nolan Patrick and Jake Voracek. Then the third line, now you have (Oskar) Lindblom who struggled offensively, he wasn’t able to finish but he’ll be much better in his third year. I think dropping him down will put less pressure on him. Throw him on the left wing on the third line with Wayne Simmonds on the right wing (and) center right now, probably Scott Laughton but there’s going to be a battle.  There’s six guys who are gonna battle for the third and fourth spot down the middle and Laughton is one of them."

Checkout what Carchidi had to say about the job Ron Hextall has done as GM, perspective on Wayne Simmonds future with the team, and more on the Flyers