Insight: Should the Leafs trade JVR?

The past two years the Toronto Maple Leafs have undergone a transition like never before. Jettisoned from the team’s core were captain Dion Phaneuf, leading scorer Phil Kessel and starting goaltender Jonathan Bernier. Spared in the exile were young contributors like Nazem Kadri, Tyler Bozak, Jake Gardiner and James Van Riemsdyk. Two years later, the decision to hold on to Van Riemsdyk in particular, affectionately known as JVR, seems wise indeed.

The 28 year-old power forward acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers in 2012 has now had five seasons in Toronto of varying success. In 2016-17 however, JVR reasserted himself as a core member of the Buds, putting up 29 goals and 62 points in 82 games. It’s clear that JVR can play, but with his contract expiring after 2017-18, might it be time for the Leafs to trade him now before they risk losing him for nothing?

JVR’s six-year, $25.5 million contract comes with a cap hit of $4.25 million per year and he’ll almost certainly be seeking a considerable pay raise on that amount should he make it to free agency. Before first considering a trade, Leafs management has to decide where JVR fits into their long-term plans and then assign a value to that role. Currently, he’s their second leading scorer behind burgeoning superstar Auston Matthews. Do president Brendan Shanahan and general manager Lou Lamoriello expect that to be the case moving forward? If not, it doesn’t make much sense to tie up cap space for a diminishing asset.

One thing’s for sure, if the Leafs do decide to trade JVR there will be no shortage of interested parties. It’s not often that a 28 year old, 30 goal scorer becomes available, so the offers will likely come pouring in. What do you think of JVR’s future in Toronto? Does he stay or does he go? If he stays, what’s a reasonable contract offer?