Toronto Maple Leafs: James van Riemsdyk and Gary Roberts
Gary Roberts was always in front of the net for the Toronto Maple Leafs and would use his body and slick hands to defend the puck. Is James van Riemsdyk able to do the same?
Roberts signed a three year $8 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2000. van Riemsdyk was traded to the Leafs on June 22, 2012, in exchange for Luke Schenn.
Will he be traded soon, who knows?
Similarity #1: Net Front Presence
Roberts is known for getting the dirty goals in front of the net. He would do anything to score a goal, which was shown in the 1991-92 season when he had 53 goals in 76 games. He would dig for the puck like a dog looking for a bone.
Similarly, van Riemsdyk will sit in front of the net looking for a juicy rebound or a pass. He’ll dig for a puck until the whistle is blown or it’s in the back of the net. He will use his strength to get into position and then use his strong hand-eye coordination to tip any pucks going towards him.
Combined, both of these players have a strong net front presence and the Leafs are lucky to be able to say they’ve had these players within the organization. While Roberts may have more grit, they both get the job done.
Similarity #2: Big Bodied
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You don’t get 2,560 penalty minutes in your career for being nice. Roberts would use his body in the corners to terrorize the opponent. He would hit anywhere on the body including the head – it was still allowed at the time – in order to scare the opponent. He was respected but you did not want to play against him. He was the type of player you loved on your team and hated otherwise.
While JVR may not be aggressive, he has 251 penalty minutes in 528 games, he is still a big bodied player. He uses his frame to his advantage in front of the net. By pushing players out with his butt, he is able to control the puck in close to the net. This adds to his dynamic and makes him that much more dangerous.
While they may be different when it comes to using their big bodies, they both use it effectively. While Roberts may hit, JVR will defend. Both tactics work but it depends on how skilled you are at them.
Similarity #3: Hands of Gold
A big body is useless unless you have the hands to go with it. There are two results, without the hands you are an enforcer, with the hands you are a power forward. Both of these players are the latter of the two. Roberts is able to pull the puck close to his body in order to protect the puck. He will use his large frame and strength to push away any defenders trying to take the puck.
As well, JVR, while he may not be aggressive, uses his body effectively. He will push the opponent to the opposite side of the puck to create distance between them and the puck. This forced the defense in towards their net and that’s where JVR is the most dangerous.
Both players are able to use a strong set of hands in close to create scoring opportunities. They add in using their big bodies to create space for themselves in front of the net. This helps them to be elite talents that many teams would want in their top six.
Conclusion
Both players are big net front presences. Using their big bodies and strong hands, they are able to do what they want. Also, being able to protect the puck by pushing the defenders away from them. While Roberts may have been more aggressive, JVR uses his strength in different ways. Both are effective, top six power forwards that are difficult to play against.
While I like both players, I would have to choose Roberts between the two. Both are great players but Roberts is able to do what JVR can and more. He is a grinder and a scorer combined which many teams like.
*stats from hockeydb.com