Trevor van Riemsdyk Is A Pleasant Surprise For Chicago Blackhawks

By Paul Chancey @ChanceyPaul on October 14, 2014

No one really expected Trevor van Riemsdyk to make it this far — not even himself. But after suffering an ankle injury in his final year with the New Hampshire Wildcats, van Riemsdyk has found himself on the Chicago Blackhawks‘ roster. Trevor, the younger brother of Toronto Maple Leafs star James van Riemsdyk, has surprised many a fan and pundit by making the team as an undrafted signee out of the NCAA, and had made an impact on the team on defense.

I’ve criticized head coach Joel Quenneville on his mistreatment of prospects and young players before (the recent dealing of Nick Leddy is an example), but Quenneville got it right on this occasion.

Van Riemsdyk has more than pedigree going for him. He’s got great poise and has kept it in both of his first two starts, first against the Dallas Stars (where he got 11:43 of ice time) and against the Buffalo Sabres (14:01). He’s also kept his game simple instead of trying to overdo it like many rookies tend to do.

Perhaps part of the help is being paired up with veteran Niklas Hjalmarsson, which has helped him stay calm under pressure. He’s made a number of good plays that have caught the attention of not only Quenneville, but his fellow blueliners such as Duncan Keith, who praised his maturity.

There’s always the risk that van Riemsdyk could get the shaft, but since the notoriously stubborn Quenneville is impressed with him, that might not happen. If anything, it’s possible that “TVR” could fill Leddy’s role much faster than Leddy tried to fill his own role. Seeing a young player getting significant ice time is a step in the right direction for a team that’s going to need young players in one or two years.

Fans can only hope that van Riemsdyk will have a successful career in Chicago.

Paul Chancey is a Chicago Blackhawks writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ChanceyPaul and add him to your network at Google+.