Van Riemsdyk of Red Wings motivated in quest for Stanley Cup

DETROIT -- James van Riemsdyk is still a kid at heart, playing a kid's game, doing what he loves to do. But the Detroit Red Wings forward is 36 years old now, about to turn 37 on May 4. He has a wife and four kids at home in Minnesota. To do what he loves to do, he must be away from his loved ones.

He called this season "maybe the most challenging" of his 17-year NHL career from that standpoint, and he's unsure of what will happen beyond this season. At the same time, he feels a sense of gratitude. 

Nineteen years after the Philadelphia Flyers selected him No. 2 in the 2007 NHL Draft, he's still going, facing them on national TV on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; ABC).

The Red Wings (39-25-8) enter Saturday one point behind the New York Islanders for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference and will finish a back-to-back set after a 5-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Friday.

"As you get older in your career, it's always a year-by-year thing, and you reassess at the end of every year to see where you're at," van Riemsdyk said. "But this is what I love to do, and obviously I'm still chasing after winning a Stanley Cup and things like that. That's obviously what drives me at this stage of my career. It helps keep things in perspective when you realize that you and your family are making certain sacrifices to do what you love to do. It just gives a different level of appreciation and gratefulness for doing what I love to do and everything that goes into it."

A native of Middletown, New Jersey, van Riemsdyk has lived in Minnesota for about 12 years, because it's beautiful in the summer and a good place to train in the offseason. His wife, Lauren, is from there. James signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Red Wings on July 1, and Lauren had twin boys in September, giving them four kids. They felt it was best for her and the kids to stay home for the season. Son Liam is now 4. Daughter Scarlett is 5 and will be 6 in May. Twins Archer and Shepherd are 7 months.

Van Riemsdyk has been able to sneak back to Minnesota here and there, and his family has been able to visit him in Detroit. He thanked general manager Steve Yzerman, coach Todd McLellan and the rest of the organization for their support. But sometimes he has had to find other ways to connect with his family.

Perhaps the most heartwarming moment of the season came Jan. 10, before the Red Wings played at Bell Centre in Montreal. Van Riemsdyk stepped off the team bus in a Batman costume, honoring Liam's favorite superhero on his birthday. In a video posted by the team on social media, he said: "Happy birthday, Liam! I miss you so much! Love you, buddy!" He had an assist in a 4-0 win against the Montreal Canadiens that night.

"I think for him this year it's probably been a little bit tougher, because his family's been mostly in Minnesota," teammate Patrick Kane said. "I know that he tries to get back there as much as possible. I mean, listen, we love playing hockey. We love getting prepared as much as we can. But at the same time, it's always great being around the family, and I think he misses his family a little bit this year. But nice of him to do stuff like that to kind of show how good of a dad he is, right?"

Kane has known van Riemsdyk for a long time, going back to when they played at the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in 2005-06. They became the first U.S.-born players to go first and second in the NHL Draft when the Chicago Blackhawks selected Kane No. 1 and the Flyers took van Riemsdyk No. 2 in 2007. He doesn't see much difference between van Riemsdyk the teenager and van Riemsdyk the 36-year-old.

"I think he's a lot the same, to be honest with you," Kane said. "He's still like a little kid at heart. He's kind of a goof, you know. He loves cracking jokes. His one-liners are some of the best I've heard. So, it's fun playing with him."

Kane still sees a lot of value in van Riemsdyk the player too. Van Riemsdyk has 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) in 63 games this season, playing mostly a fourth-line role but helping higher in the lineup and on the power play when needed.

"The way he plays, he can be productive as long as he wants," Kane said. "He gets to the front of the net. He's so patient, calm and poised around the front of the net, and then he's one of the best net-front guys in the League. … It's definitely a skill, and I think a lot of us can kind of pick his brain on that part too, because it's not an easy thing to do."

Van Riemsdyk said he's trying to bring a strong veteran presence, setting an example for younger players on and off the ice, contributing offensively as much as he can. Detroit doesn't necessarily need him to be a superhero, but if they're in the Stanley Cup Playoffs around Scarlett's birthday, keep an eye on the team bus. Scarlett likes "Frozen" and "KPop Demon Hunters." You never know.